Project offers dignity, not just shoes
In a country where thousands of children still walk to school barefoot over rough terrain, a local initiative continues to provide dignity to these learners – one pair of shoes at a time.Since the launch of Project Never Walk Alone in 2011, the initiative has become a symbol of hope for learners. What began as a modest outreach has now provided more than 12 600 pairs of shoes to learners in eight regions.
The project has now shifted into higher gear with fresh goals, new sponsors and growing public trust. This winter, the team is focusing on the ||Kharas and Oshana regions with the aim of distributing another 5 000 pairs of shoes.
Over the years, educators have observed that when learners receive basic items, such as school shoes, school attendance and academic performance improve and learners become more confident.
The project’s transparency has been praised in an era when many charitable initiatives struggle to maintain public trust. All donations are publicly published and sponsors are invited to handover events. Financial reports are shared with stakeholders and a newly appointed auditing firm is currently reviewing the books free of charge.
So far, the Road Fund Administration (RFA) and the SPKA Group have each contributed N$100 000, but the project is still almost N$1.7 million short of its winter target.
Despite the project’s progress, data shows that there are still an estimated 70 000 children in rural Namibia who still walk barefoot to school every day.
In a country where inequality often begins with access to essentials, the project embraces a simple and life-changing concept, a collective responsibility to restore a child’s dignity through something as humble as a pair of shoes. – [email protected]