TOMS Shoes, a pioneer in the buy-one-give-one business model, recently donated 39,314 pairs of shoes to Goods for Good – one pair for every school-aged child we support. We’re taking this opportunity to help the children we serve to the next level:  each child will not only receive their very own pair of TOMS shoes, but they’ll also be getting an albendazole tablet, a single-dose “de-worming” medicine that cures the dangerous infections contracted by many barefoot children.

Shoes are a luxury for children in Malawi, particularly for orphans and vulnerable children who lack the resources to purchase them. Walking barefoot puts these children at high risk for injury and infections such as hookworm, which can cause anemia, diarrhea and stunted mental development if left untreated. For those who have no one to provide for them or monitor their health, the repercussions are far-reaching: impaired learning, increased absences from school and decreased future economic productivity are serious concerns.  By working hand-in-hand with our local partners, we’re able to reach those children who need assistance most.  While not every child will be taken to a clinic if they become sick, most every child will show up on distribution day to receive what is likely their first pair of new shoes. This gives us the opportunity to bring in local health workers to administer the distribution of the medicine.

Goods for Good Founder and Executive Director, Melissa Kushner, explains how the TOMS/G4G partnership is emblematic of G4G’s model:

“We’re so excited to be partnering with an innovator like TOMS.  We’re constantly looking for opportunities to form complementary partnerships with other organizations. Each organization can only do so much on their own, but together our reach will extend so much further.”

TOMS Founder Blake Mycoskie explains the synergy between the two organizations:

“Goods for Good is an ideal partner in large part due to the organization’s grassroots and holistic approach to development.  Together, we are able to help these children more effectively and sustainably than either organization could alone.”

Make sure to keep a look out for pictures and stories from the field!