Shoes for rural school children in South Africa

Hundreds of school-aged children in the small rural village in my community need school shoes, and many more don't have day-to-day shoes either. Daily I pass children and adults on the street from Smitsville, and it is more common to see them barefoot than with shoes. Hi, my name is Ashley, and I've been on a foreign work assignment in South Africa for almost six years and I want to use my position here in South Africa to help those in need in my community.

One of my first encounters with these children was only about a month after moving to the village. We went on a hike up to a local waterfall with our friends. Passing through Smitsville on our way to the trail, we were joined by about 15 young children aged 4-12. All but the eldest girl were barefoot. They insisted on hiking the 3.5-hour roundtrip trek with us to the waterfall. They struggled over the sharp slate rocks of the trail indicative of the Klein Karoo mountains we live in. I noted how resilient these youngsters were, where my delicate feet wouldn't have lasted ten feet into the trail. Three youngsters injured their feet and turned back, but the rest insisted on going with us to the waterfall. During the walk, a few of them asked if we would buy them a pair of shoes, and my heart ached to do just that.

This experience weighed heavily on my mind until recently, when I started reaching out to community leaders in Smitsville to get insight into the community's most significant needs. They agreed a shoe drive would positively impact the children, likely putting some of them back into school. Maria, a dedicated and selfless hospice worker in the area, sees these children daily and distributes TB and other medication to many in Smitsville. She said, "many of these children have stopped attending school due to the bullying they receive around not having a proper school uniform and shoes. Their parents or grandparents can't afford it." Unfortunately, without school, they end up on the streets to pass the time, and many are getting pulled under the influence of local drug rings.

When asked what a new pair of shoes would mean to Jessica Erasmus and her younger siblings, she said, "me and my siblings would appreciate some shoes because my mom works on a farm and she doesn't earn much money, so we will appreciate some shoes if someone could help."

We estimate that approximately 250 children from primary school through high school have dropped out due to bullying. Our initial goal is to assist these vulnerable children so that we can get them back in the classroom and off the street. Then, we will provide shoes to at-risk children who have not yet dropped out of school but do not have shoes and are facing the same ridicule from their peers.

Each pair of durable leather school shoes with socks costs $20. If you can help with any contributions toward this effort, your gifts would be greatly appreciated. Any amount is welcome, whether donating toward two happy feet or ten!

If you'd like to donate on behalf of someone else as a Christmas gift, please get in touch with Ashley directly by clicking the 'Contact' button below. In the contact form, please type in a custom message you wish you send your loved one. Ashley will customize a digital card with your message and send it to you to share with them, informing them about the donation and the cause.

I will organize a picture of the child receiving their new shoes and send it back to all donors so everyone can see the lives they are impacting by their generosity. You are welcome to send a photo of yourself to share with the recipient of your donation to add a personal touch to let them know you care. I understand that some donors stay anonymous, which is excellent too!

Thank you for your time and consideration toward this cause!