Learners of St Paul’s Primary School near Stanford and Protem Primary near Bredasdorp can stand a bit taller after receiving a donation of school shoes.
Masizole Mnqasela, Speaker of the Western Cape Parliament, in collaboration with Youth4LifeSA and Samaritan’s Feet SA, distributed school shoes to the learners of these two primary schools last week as part of their Shoes of Hope initiative.
What made the event even more special was the fact the founder of Samaritan’s Feet International Manny Ohonme and his wife Tracie also attended it.
They founded the organisation in 2003 in an effort to help millions of people who go without shoes every day, given especially that more than one million die each year as a result of disease, injury and illness caused by having no footwear.
Mnqasela lauded Shoes of Hope, saying it is more than just about providing shoes to those who need them most. He stated the aim is to connect with the children and give them hope, which is why those distributing the shoes wash each child’s feet before putting the shoes on them.
“I believe that for any country to succeed it needs to prioritise the education of its population through empowering programmes,” said the Speaker, “in this way making education fashionable.”
Sharing his vision for Samitarian’s Feet International and how he intended growing it, Manny said it had grown to a network of 70 000 volunteers, global ambassadors who have helped more than 5 million impoverished children and adults.
The non-profit has distributed more than 9 million pairs of shoes to children in 110 countries. It also addresses the pressing problem of hygiene in an attempt to diminish the impact of soil-borne diseases.
“While they’re often overlooked, shoes can be the difference between injury and health,” the founder said.
“Shoes can prevent fungal infections or injuries. Children need shoes to attend school and play outside without fear of injury.”
Ohonme told the story of how, when he was nine years old, he sold water and soft drinks to athletes at a local basketball court in his home town of Lagos, Nigeria.
It was a side income to help supplement finances at home, where his family lived on a dollar a day. One day Ohonme got the chance to participate in a shooting competition organised by a local missionary. He sunk his shot, and with it won his first pair of size-10 tennis shoes.
He said these set him on a journey that would take him to the United States on a basketball scholarship, where he earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
But Ohonme could never forget what happened on that basketball court. When he returned to Nigeria for his father’s funeral, he saw a child on that same court without shoes.
In that moment, Samaritan’s Feet was born.
Tracie said it was a small operation at first, but under Ohonme’s guidance it grew expansively. “By 2008 he had inspired college basketball coaches to go barefooted on game day, an event that resulted in the donation of 100 000 shoes to children in need.
“By 2012 some 5 million children had received shoes thanks to Ohonme’s creativity and vision.”
She said Ohonme’s first pair of shoes may have been several sizes too large for a 9-year-old, but he has since grown to fill them.
“His passionate work and inspirational story have ensured millions of children around the world can lead more happy, healthy, and productive lives.”
