Sole2Sole gaining ground
It’s quite amazing how all this is coming together and Dario is even more determined now that no child shall walk barefoot in winter. “It’s so cold on winter mornings and sometimes we have frost. How awful would that be to not have a pair of shoes,” Dario said.
SINCE the beginning of Dario Gouveia’s initiative, Sole2Sole, to help the needy, he’s managed to collect the grand total (at the time of going to press) of 2 562 pairs of shoes.
Dario attends school at Marist Brothers Linmeyer and lives in Meyersdal
“I have to thank other people for helping me, though. My school friends have been awesome and I have a shoe bin in the library. My vovo (grandfather) has shoe bins in his two shops in the North, and PNA The Glen Shopping Centre also has a collection point,” Dario raved.
His mom, Zita, added, “People have been phenomenal in donating shoes, including Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite School, Reddam House, Little Angels Nursery School, Kumon Centre South, Tina Cowley Reading Centre, Auckland Park Preparatory School and Pen Haslam Pre-Primary.
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“Thanks also to IdDigital for designing our logo at their expense, Plastic Ideas for wheelie bins for our collection points and Starpack Packaging for refuse bags for our packaging of the shoes.
“Social media has played a huge part too, and through our Facebook page we’ve done really well.
“Dario’s friend, Adrienne Holtzhausen, who was in his class at Marist Brothers, emigrated with her family to New Zealand and wanted to help. She began her own shoe collection over there and donates them to the Salvation Army.
“We have handed out lots of shoes to people who come to collect food parcels from our church, St Theresa’s in Alberton, and have given to children at Jackson’s Drift in Eikenhof, Dinaledi House in Brixton and Bienvenu Shelter in Bertrams.”
As Sole2Sole grows so does the media interest. You magazine contacted Zita and Dario to assist with a Facebook page, he was interviewed on Radio Veritas and News24 has made contact.
It’s quite amazing how all this is coming together and Dario is even more determined now that no child shall walk barefoot in winter.
Also Read: Help Dario collect shoes for the needy
“It’s so cold on winter mornings and sometimes we have frost. How awful would that be to not have a pair of shoes?” Dario said.
“One special person I really need to thank is my sister Liana. She’s only eight years old and every day she helps me to sort out shoes which we get donated. Thanks Liana, I love you.”
If you would like to contact Dario or Zita, please email zgouveia@starpack.co.za or phone Zita on 079 501 9517.
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