Hope For Africa challenges South Africans to walk barefoot, donate school shoes

Learners from impoverished households at Shikhati and Khujwana primary schools in Tzaneen, Limpopo, are set to receive donations of hundreds of pairs of school shoes as the Barefoot Walk, the brainchild of Hope For Africa, partners with Ekurhuleni businessman Given Muhlarhi.

Chief executive of Hope For Africa, Hope Thabethe, said his campaign, characterised by walking barefoot for 40 days, will this year culminate in the handover of the school shoes to needy learners.

“I did take an oath to walk barefoot for 40 days all day and night to show commitment to raise funds for school kids who don’t have proper school shoes, so that I can receive donations as a way of giving back to the community,” Thabethe told African News Agency (ANA).

“The campaign is four years old and is inflating in an influential way across the African continent. The initiative has so far helped over 4,500 children with school shoes and sanitary pads since 2016.”

The campaign has more than 50 ambassadors in four countries, namely Kenya, Lesotho, Botswana and South Africa.

Founder of charity group Given The Giver Foundation, Muhlarhi said he had been challenged by Hope For Africa to walk barefoot on Friday, to experience what the economically disadvantaged learners go through daily. He will make the donation of school shoes to the two Limpopo schools.

“Through the philanthropy work I do, as Given The Giver Foundation, I have been challenged by Hope For Africa to take part in the #BarefootWalk. I accepted the challenge and on the 7th of May I will be participating in the campaign. I will be walking barefoot with my invited guests to Shikhati Primary School, where we will donate 200 pairs of school shoes and motivate the kids on social ills issues,” said Muhlarhi.

“At 10am we will be at Khujwana Primary School, where we will also donate 300 pairs of school shoes and give motivation on social ills. I will do these activities walking barefoot for the whole as part in support of the campaign against learners not having school shoes.”

He said that, in future, additional shoes will be donated to other needy learners.

African News Agency (ANA)