UK Schoolchildren collect 90,000 pairs of shoes for Africa

Over 90,000 pairs of shoes  have been kindly donated. Once the sorting process is finished the shoes will be sent to Malawi this month.

Over 500 schools across the UK donated their unwanted shoes in October in a bid to change a child’s life in Africa. The Shoe Aid for Africa campaign was launched for the first time last year by shoe care experts Kiwi, to give UK families a chance to change lives in Africa. Kiwi are very pleased to have the support of The FA for this year’s campaign. The FA have recognised the great work the campaign does and are enthusiastic and passionate about football at a grass roots level. England team members Emile Heskey, Matthew Upson and Rob Green have also pledged their personal support and donated their boots to the campaign.

Just over a month after the campaign finished the next stage of the process commenced as the shoes were sorted ready to be sent to Africa. Kiwi representatives and the entire Sara Lee marketing team wrapped up warm and kicked off the sorting process which is now nearly complete. The shoes are being sorted at the Planet Aid UK warehouse in Corby, Northamptonshire. Planet Aid UK is the British member of Humana People to People. Humana People to People was born from Development Aid from People to People and is a global membership organisation, which at present comprises 32 national associations working in 40 countries.


The Director at Planet Aid UK Birgit Soe is delighted to see the donated shoes being sorted;
‘We are very pleased to be continuing to work with Kiwi on the Shoe Aid for Africa campaign. The campaign does a great job in educating children in the UK about the poverty issues in Africa and the funding that Kiwi provides enables us to distribute the shoes at no cost to the recipient.
 
It was fantastic to have the Kiwi team on hand to help with the task of sorting the shoes, and it was a great opportunity for them to see the campaign come to life as a result of all of their dedication and support.’

The shoes are sorted into summer and winter shoes and into 30kg bags of children’s and adult’s shoes and checked to ensure they are in good enough condition to be sent to Africa.

Sara Lee Marketing Director, Jonathan Moore is very excited that the campaign is in full swing;


‘Kiwi are extremely proud to support the Shoe Aid for Africa campaign and to see it grow in its second year. We have been overwhelmed with the generosity and number of shoes that have been donated by UK schools, and it was great for the team to visit the Planet Aid UK warehouse and get stuck in with the sorting.  
 
Having distributed shoes in Mozambique last year, we know how much these shoes will mean to those who receive them in Africa, which has made the sorting process even more rewarding. We are very excited about the final stage of the campaign as the shoes are soon to be shipped out to Africa.’ 

www.shoeaidforafrica.org