ITHEMBA SCHOOL SHOES INITIATIVE
Can You Help Us Keep Vulnerable Scholars in School?
FACT: In South Africa, children in public schools are turned away from school if they do not own school shoes
Millions of parents and their children face this harsh reality in January at the beginning of each South African school year and the results are devastating. Children run the risk of missing crucial learning days and without the prospect of being able to afford shoes once the school year has begun, may become even more vulnerable and susceptible to cycles of poverty that threaten their educational future.
Our School Shoes initiative kicked off in 2023 and thanks to your continued support we were able to make a meaningful impact on over 60 school going children in Cape Town, South Africa. We need your help to continue our efforts – your donation will make a real difference in our efforts to ensure that no child in South Africa is left behind simply because they lack a pair of school shoes.
The Significant Impact of Shoes on Education
2024 statistics suggest that an estimated 7 million children in South Africa do not have proper school shoes – a fundamental necessity for a sector of society so desperately in need. This seemingly simple barrier – the lack of a pair of school shoes – could derail a child's entire academic journey, robbing them of opportunities for personal growth, skill development, and eventual economic independence. Missed education creates a domino effect of limited prospects, reduced employability, and continued economic hardship. It is a brutal truth.
How Providing School Shoes Can Transform a Child’s Education and Future
YOU have a unique opportunity to make a transformative impact with a relatively simple intervention. By providing school shoes, we can ensure that every child has the basic dignity of accessing education, protecting their feet from harsh terrain (millions of children cannot afford transport and walk to school every day), preventing potential health issues, and keeping them in classrooms where they can learn, dream, and build a better future for themselves and their communities.
Every journey starts with a small step and we’d love you to join us on this potentially life changing one.
Buy a Hand-Beaded Star Ornament and Help Provide School Shoes for Children in Need
Purchase a hand beaded star ornament for your tree this year and with each sale, Ithemba donates 100% of the proceeds to purchase a pair of sturdy school shoes for a child in need.