Who Is Shoe4Africa

Shoe4Africa is a registered 501 (c)(3) organization. EIN/Tax ID # 02-0766-269

TAGLINE

Seeing a problem, or an issue, & just doing the best we can to help.

HIV/AIDS AWARENESS

The program blossomed from Kenya into Tanzania, and I realized there was also a health component when I discovered the horrible barefoot disease people get called Hookworm (preventable covering the toenail with running shoes). Then, by chance, we tested a sponsored running team for a vitamin/mineral deficiency and found out half the runners tested positive for the HIV virus. Shoe4Africa at once started promoting AIDS Awareness through Sports using races as social platforms and elite athletes as ambassadors to talk about this, still, taboo subject.

EDUCATION

Moving into Education was the next logical step; I discovered there was no AIDS information written in the Kalenjin tongue in the Rift Valley (the center of our activities) and the people knew next to nothing about the disease, so I made brochures and distributed them at events, but I wanted to get into schools too. What about sponsoring a child for four years with the condition that the school added a once-a- term AIDS awareness day program that I would provide?  Scholarships and the next step?  In 2010 we built the first of a few (planned) schools

WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND PEACE

Women’s empowerment soon followed, if you go to Shoe4Africa races you will see they are somewhat different from other Kenyan sporting events. When I was staying in Kenya during the political clashes I put on a series of peace races that had huge impact; again using the same principal that I had started with, use my Kenyan running friends to draw the media and promoting peace.

HEALTH

It began, inadvertently with health, a shoe prevents hookworm. Learning the horrors of malaria we began awareness classes to help prevent the spread of that disease, but our main health initiative must be giving Sub Saharan Africa it's first ever public children's hospital. A healthy Africa is one that will be self-reliant and a strong foothold for the future generation of positive change.  Also working on a SPP (Sanitary Pad Program) & have a disabled athletes 'getting everyone moving' plan too... And thankful for our affiliation with the Foundation for Small Voices to allow us to do the feeding program each year. We have a few other things bubbling along too...