Back to school is a misery for pupils with no shoes to walk on.
The Sello Maake KaNcube Foundation in collaboration with Ntholeng Foundation headed by cancer survivor Thabang Motsieloa, as well as the Shai Foundation headed by the late Patrick Shai’s wife have implemented the school shoes donation drive to rejuvenate hope to the disadvantaged pupils.
Pearl Maake KaNcube said people cannot turn a blind eye to a child going to school with torn small shoes or no school shoes at all, and continue as though nothing can be done.
“Nothing pains one’s heart more than seeing young children going back to school with torn shoes and in winter some of them don’t even wear socks. How do we then expect to keep these kids in school under such circumstances?” asked Maake KaNcube.
“Our wish is to use the little influence and contribute ourselves with the little that we have and hope that many people will join us in making this project sustainable and impactful. We owe these children the right to know that we at least tried.”
She said they have identified schools in and around Soweto to kickstart the project but plan on venturing into Alexandra and Diepsloot. They are still in talks with the principals to confirm the schools they will be donating to.
They aim to donate 500 shoes per school, and at least 10 schools a month until the end of the project on March 31.
“It’s not so much about the criteria per learner for them to qualify, as we plan on going to donate to the forgotten or unknown schools that we know can really do with any support.
“In order to make this initiative beneficial to the deserving students, we are going to work with the schools and their psychologists to help us identify the students who need and deserve the assistance.
“Every child deserves to wear appropriate shoes and school uniform, it’s their basic need. No child deserves our donations more than the other, but situations and circumstances differ,” she added.
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