Last act of kindness from Northcliff High School matrics

NORTHCLIFF – Northcliff High School donated box after box of matric school shoes to Sole2Sole.

Some of the boxes Northcliff High School matriculants fill with their school shoes.

Northcliff High School’s matrics decided to donate their school shoes and bags before bidding the school farewell on their last day.

The school strategically placed empty boxes at the school’s main gate for matrics to conveniently place their school shoes in and take their last steps out of the school barefoot or in some cases in regular shoes.

Northcliff High School matric, Natasha Parfett ties her shoes together to donate to Sole2Sole.

It was the perfect time for matrics to donate their shoes as just before they left, they already kicked their shoes off for their dip in the pool with their uniforms still on – an activity which has become somewhat of a tradition.

The shoes were donated to Sole2Sole, an initiative started by Dario Gouveia (10).

His father, Mario, explained that his son got the idea to start Sole2Sole after his mother, Zita, bought him school shoes in November last year and by the time the new school year started, they were too small for him.

“I wasn’t in the car at that time but my wife said he saw a little boy walking barefoot on the side of the road with feet that had cuts on them and they pulled over and Dario gave the shoes to the boy,” Mario explained.

Touched by the boy who had no shoes, Dario decided that he would like to help more people and sent a letter to his school seeking shoes.

The letter later went viral and Dario has since been on various televsion and radio station and regularly does motivational talks. Mario added that Dario’s sister Liana (7) is his biggest fan and helper and does a lot despite being so little.

The organisation has, since the initial pair of shoes, handed out more out 13 000 pairs of shoes, 12 000 over Dario’s initial target.

His mother, Zita, explained that while the initiative started with school shoes, Sole2Sole accepts all kinds of shoes. They donate their shoes to various organisations, schools and low-income areas.

It is unclear how many shoes and bags were donated by Northcliff High School matrics, however, the boxes they filled made for heavy carrying work to the Sole2Sole collection car.

Mario Gouveia collects shoes from Northcliff High School for his son’s Sole2Sole initiative.

Bags are donated by Northcliff High School’s matrics.

Mario Gouveia, Aiden Fleetwood and Joshua Swart carry Northcliff High School matric school shoes to the Sole2Sole collection car.

Dario Gouveia stands in a circle with some of the children whose lives he has changed.
Photo: Supplied

Dario Gouveia puts a pair of shoes on for a child.
Photo: Facebook

Details: @Soul2SoulDario

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