It was a morning of big hugs, warm smiles and tears of joy recently as 300 learners from five schools in and around Ximba near Cato Ridge outside Durban each received a pair of brand new school shoes as part of the ongoing Project Soul 2 Sole. For many of the children, this is the first new pair of school shoes they have ever owned. In addition to a brand new pair of shoes, the pupils also received a pair of socks, a tin of shoe polish and an Uzwelo book bag.
Spearheaded by KZN-based NPO, Blue Sky Society Trust, in conjunction with The Lion Match Group and Aramex South Africa, Project Soul 2 Sole has, for the past four years, made a phenomenal impact on the lives of some of KwaZulu-Natal’s most destitute children by distributing new and pre-loved school shoes.
“It truly astounds me that in 2018 there are some seven million children in Africa who have never owned a pair of new or second hand shoes,” explains Carla Geyser, founder of Blue Sky Society Trust. “The look in a child’s eyes, the smile on their face when they receive their first pair of school shoes is something hard to explain. We have a phenomenal group of people involved in this impactful project, to whom I am truly grateful!”
Project Soul 2 Sole has tripled in size and reach over the past four years, with children in the North West province and the Eastern Cape now benefitting from over 16 000 pre-loved shoes thanks to the generosity of KZN pupils and parents.