It is quite rare you find a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach which works well to solve a sustainability problem.
However in the case of The Shoe that Grows, a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is changing the lives of those in absolute poverty.
Because International, a charity from Idaho, has for the first time produced shoes in two sizes (small and large) which ‘grow’ with the help of snap fasteners. These enable the shoes to last over a child’s entire education. Each pair of shoes can grow 5 sizes and last 5 years.
This is not just a matter of comfort and sustainability– 2 billion children around the world contract soil transmitted parasites and disease by walking barefoot. Many children in poverty wear bottles, tyre parts and badly fitted shoes on their feet, all of which can cause more detriment than benefit to their health.
The charity currently works in Ecuador, Haiti, Ghana and Kenya to distribute the shoes. Recent donations have surpassed their fundraising goals, allowing them to expand their projects and order 5,000 more pairs.
Image credit: Marie Claire Andrea / Flickr
