Bare your ‘soles’ for a cause

EVERY day millions of people across the globe are left vulnerable to infection, diseases and even disability simply due to a lack of shoes.

Poverty-stricken communities are forced to perform daily tasks while barefoot – facing stones, glass, parasites and other foreign objects as well as freezing or scotching weather. Many even have to travel vast distances.

In an effort to highlight the plight of these communities, the Durban North Baptist Church and local non-profit organisation, Community UPlift, have joined forces to host A Day Without Shoes collection drive on 10 April.

The organisations have challenged the community to go barefoot on the day and to donate good quality shoes towards the cause. To raise awareness, the organisations will be marching along the Durban beachfront from uShaka Beach.

“We live in such a sheltered community where most people have more than what they need. Many don’t see the value in the shoes we have. But our aim is to raise awareness around the fact that there are thousands of people in Africa alone that don’t have shoes, and suffer as a result. In some cases this prevents young people from attending school,” said Jeanine Maré, the project coordinator at the church.

People will be able to donate on the day or they can simply drop off some donations at The Durban North Baptist Church or the @Tap Community Centre and Coffee Corner.

Community UPlift will distribute the donated shoes to the most needy communities in the Durban and surrounding areas. The church hopes to turn this initiative into an annual event. Contact the church on 031 563 2678.