Brilliant invention of a hardwearing sandal that expands 5 sizes and lasts for years has now changed the lives of over 300,000 disadvantaged children in more than 100 countries, and BrightVibes readers have been very much involved since the beginning.
WITH THIS SHOE, A CHILD CAN ALWAYS HAVE A PAIR OF SHOES THAT FIT
There are over 300 million children who do not have shoes, and countless more with shoes that do not fit. Sometimes they receive donations of shoes, but these are children — their feet grow — and they outgrow donated shoes within a year. Right back where they started. The Shoe That Grows is the solution. A shoe that grows five sizes and lasts for years. With this shoe, a child can always have a pair of shoes that fit. They can stay healthy and happy, ready to take the next steps to their future.
Over 300 million children don’t own a pair of fitting shoes. Without shoes, children are vulnerable to soil-transmitted diseases and parasites. This limits their freedom to roam, can cause illnesses and even lead to deaths. Source: Facebook/TheShoeThatGrows
Over 300,000 pairs of THE SHOE THAT GROWS in over 100 countries around the world!
THE SHOE THAT GROWS started when Founder Kenton Lee worked in Nairobi, Kenya in 2007. He noticed a little girl who had shoes
that were way too small for her feet. He was shocked and started thinking: “What if there was a shoe that could adjust and expand its size?”
It’s made with the highest quality materials: Compressed rubber, anti-bacterial synthetic and high grade velcro making the shoes easy to clean.
They have already distributed over 300,000 pairs of THE SHOE THAT GROWS in over 100 countries around the world!
In 2019, they moved their shoe production to the UMOJA RUBBER COMPANY in Kenya to produce the shoes and create jobs in the areas where the shoes are distributed.
Founder Kenton also made a free training program: the Pursuit Incubator, to support early- to middle-stage entrepreneurs in four ways: training, coaching, networking and funding.
The program is modelled after his own experiences and obstacles he went through to realise The Shoe That Grows.
THE SHOE THAT GROWS started when Founder Kenton Lee noticed a little girl who had shoes that were way too small for her feet. He was shocked and started thinking: “What if there was a shoe that could adjust and expand its size?” Source: Facebook/BecauseInternational
GETTING LIFE-CHANGING SHOES TO INCREDIBLE KIDS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
The sturdy sandals are now being made where they’re needed most, and The Shoe That Grows have opened factories to locally produce the shoes in Kenya, Ethiopia, Haiti, and are looking to opening a facility in India in the near future.
In Ethiopia, over 10,000 pairs of shoes have already been produced, bringing not only shoes, but 30 full-time jobs as well.
Kenton Lee, founder of the project, told us last year “I just want to thank all of the followers of BrightVibes for helping the video about The Shoe That Grows go viral and just take off, we have had more donors, more supporters, more partners come through this video than I can even say, it is incredible to see the response.”
Lee continued, “This BrightVibes video and you BrightVibes followers have made a gigantic difference, getting life-changing shoes to incredible kids throughout the world and as the founder of The Shoe That Grows, I want to say thank you, I can’t do this without you and you have helped make this happen, thank you so much!”
Thanks to the huge support, hundreds of thousands of additional children no longer have to walk around barefoot!
Children who get sick miss school, can’t help their families, and suffer needlessly. And since children’s feet grow so quickly, they often outgrow donated shoes within a year, leaving them once again exposed to illness and disease. The Shoe That Grows takes care of that. Source: Facebook/TheShoeThatGrows
THE SHOE IS TOUGH, EASY TO CLEAN AND USE, AND IT GROWS WITH THE TOES!
The Shoe That Grows is a patented design of an innovative shoe that adjusts and expands. It was developed with the help of multiple shoe design firms inspired by feedback from those who need them. The shoe comes in three sizes: youth small, youth large, and adult.
The Shoe is made with the highest quality materials:
- Compressed rubber (similar to that of a car tyre)
- Anti-bacterial synthetic, and high grade, tactical Velcro
- No mechanical parts or gears to break
- Easy to clean (for toe-tally clean feet)
- Easy to use (and it grows with the toes)
One of the best parts of The Shoe That Grows is how easy it is to transport. It compresses into itself so that you can fit 50 pairs of the small size in a regular suitcase that weighs under 50lbs/23kg. You can take 50 pairs of shoes in a suitcase on a plane!
Source & Images: TheShoeThatGrow
The evolution of The Shoe That Grows: The Shoe That Grows is a patented design of an innovative shoe that adjusts and expands. It was developed with the help of multiple shoe design firms inspired by feedback from those who need them. The shoe comes in three sizes: youth small, youth large, and adult. Source: Facebook/TheShoeThatGrows
BE INVOLVED: HELP HEEL CHILDREN IN NEED (CLICK)
Whether you are working with a large nonprofit organisation and want to distribute 10,000 pairs of The Shoe or you just think this is great and want to add 1 pair of shoes to help "fill a duffle" – there are many ways for you to be involved with The Shoe That Grows. If you are interested in our cause of Practical Compassion through The Shoe That Grows - here are some good next steps.