The Shoe That Grows

A few days ago, we had fun Oooing and Ahhing over some of Diana, Princess of Wales' stunning sapphire jewelry. Now let's look on the flip side of life. But this too is an uplifting blog, for there exists a shoe company making a difference. If looking for a good cause, you can join them. People get inspired to help others in need around Christmas, during Lent, or anytime simply because they can. 

Do you know that 3 billion people live in poverty -- nearly half the world's population? Moreover, 1/3 of a billion people are extremely poor living on less than $1.25 a day. 

However for the millions of children who can't afford shoes, a non-profit has stepped up to help fill the basic need.

Not having shoes is an enormous hurdle. Not only do shoes save children from cuts and infections from wounds, they stop podoconioisis from getting into their bloodstreams through the soles of their feet, leading to serious health problems. Furthermore, many undeveloped countries do not let children attend school barefoot, so these children never learn to read or write.

And children fortunate enough to acquire a pair of shoes outgrow them leaving them to once again go barefoot, or wear shoes that no longer fit.

On a trip to Kenya, a young American man, named Kenton Lee, noticed this plight and decided to do something about it. He returned home with a vision. Although not an inventor or shoemaker, Lee perfected  a shoe that grows 5 sizes with a child and is made of durable materials -- a sturdy leather upper and compost rubber sole -- to last 5 years. The shoe adjusts and expands in 3 areas to fit a foot as it grows.

For $15 we can buy a pair of shoes for a penniless child. How often do we get to change a life significantly for such a small sum? 

If you wish to learn more, here is The Shoe that Grows' website. 

Have you ever thought about what life would be like without shoes? And what your life would be like without the benefit of going to school? Lastly, did you already know that many children in the world cannot afford something as essential as a pair of shoes?


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