Who Is Shoe4Africa
Learn About Us
We Act Where There Is Need
HEALTH
Shoe4Africa was started in 1995 with the idea to take something we discard— used running shoes— and give to people who through circumstance were unable to afford. It started with the gift of a few pairs and was re-enforced by the first person I met returning from a seven month stay in Africa also (in the snow) taking off her shoes and asking for them to be sent to Africa.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. Then, by chance we tested a running team for a vitamin/mineral deficiency and found out half the runners tested positive for the HIV virus. Shoe4Africa started promoting AIDS Awareness through Sports.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? It worked.WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND PEACE
Women’s empowerment soon followed, and 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 create an added effect to the cause.
HEALTH
It began, inadvertently with health, a shoe prevents hookworm. Learning the horrors of malaria we began awareness classes to help prevent that disease, but our main health initiative must be giving Sub Saharan Africa it's first ever public children's hospital; that's our dream and it is becoming a reality. A healthy Africa is one that will be self-reliant and a strong foothold for the future generation of change.Who Is Shoe4Africa
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OUR BOARD IN AMERICA |
SEA TO STARS TEAM Hector Carino Rodney Cutler Dean Holcombe Azali Kassum Mike Martinez Ursula Orsene Toby Tanser Jennifer Yu |
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ADVISORY BOARD Kim Alexis Dr. Mark Bilsky M.D. Mary Darling George Hirsch Shay Hirsch Pieter Langerhorst Dr. Valdi Sapira MD |
SHOE4AFRICA HOLLAND Director of Operations Luc Krotwaar |
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STAFF Shoe4Africa is led by Toby Tanser, who works as the only fulltime staff, with different groups of volunteers, African, American, and elsewhere, who come on board to make the events and projects possible. Shoe4Africa has yet to own a vehicle, open an office, or hire an employee and relies heavily on volunteerism; thus providing and promoting a real and valid sense that this is a working African operation. Thanks to all who have helped! |
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