Shoe4Africa

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Shoe4Africa

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Nonprofit, helping out in East Africa. Public Hospital, six schools, women's empowerment program. Twelve years after the project started.

The Foot Africa logo is copyrighted, and was designed by SUM design in 2007. The name was 'made' in 2000 after the founder was robbed for one shoe on the eve of the millennium; one bare foot imprint was on the Zanzibar beach when the founder limped three miles to save his life.

22/10/2026

WOMEN & GIRLS EMPOWERMENT. ❤️

Shoe4Africa began its work empowering women and girls back in the 1990s. Decades later, it remains at the heart of who we are and what we do. Many folks still remember our Women's Empowerment races in Iten, in Kibera, and beyond.

Some of our programs fly under the radar simply because we do the work over doing the promoting. They don't always come with big headlines or ribbon-cutting ceremonies, but they matter enormously. Today, I want to shine a light on one of them, taking place at Soti Academy in Trans Nzoia County, Kenya.

This work is made possible with the wonderful support of our friends Jess, Maddy and Ava, who live in New York City. Different continents, different daily lives, but a shared belief that every girl deserves to grow up safe, respected and with the freedom to fulfil her potential. Because caring knows no borders.

Gender-based violence (GBV) must end. Full stop.

It should not happen. Not in Trans Nzoia. Not at any of our six schools spread across three counties. Not at our Boys and Girls Club in Iten. Not at Shoe4Africa Children's Hospital. Not anywhere.

A girl should never have to choose between her safety and her future. No child should grow up believing that violence, intimidation or abuse is simply part of life. And no community should have to accept it as inevitable.

Change begins when we speak up, educate, empower, protect and give young people the confidence to know their rights and the support to stand up for themselves and one another.

This is not a one-day campaign for us. It is a commitment that stretches back decades, and one we will continue to honour for decades to come.

To Jess, Maddy and Ava: Asante sana. Thank you for standing with these girls from thousands of miles away. Your support is a beautiful reminder that compassion has no borders.

At Shoe4Africa, we believe every child deserves the chance to run towards a future filled with possibility, not away from fear.

Let's raise our voices. Let's protect our girls. Let's end GBV.

15/10/2026

Customer Service Week at Shoe4Africa Children’s Hospital, Eldoret! ❤️

On Friday, there was cake, the coloring books, and of course, Rufus the Red, who was jumping up and down to make sure everyone knew it was party time!

Now, our children might not be the customers people usually think of during Customer Service Week, but they are our most important peeps.

They are the very reason we come to work, the reason we strive to do better, and the reason every act of kindness matters. At Shoe4Africa, Kids rule.

Our job is to heal, to care, to serve, and whenever possible, to bring a little happiness into a child's day.

Because while this kids' hospital is a place of healing, it must also be a place of LOVE. ❤️

Hospitals offer medicine, treatment, and expert care, but children need more than that. Much more... They need to feel safe, valued, remembered, and loved. Sometimes, a big slice of sugary cake, a coloring book to hold, or Rufus bouncing around the field can make a difficult day feel a little brighter.

At Shoe4Africa, we believe that caring for children means caring for the whole child; their health, their happiness, their dignity, and their childhood.

So, a big Happy Customer Service Week Kids from our wonderful team, who work hard every day to make this possible.

11/10/2026

🌳 SHOE4AFRICA CARES — HAPPY MAZINGIRA DAY 2026! 🌍💚

At Shoe4Africa, caring goes beyond hospitals, healthcare, education, school building, women and girls’ empowerment, and nutrition. We care about the environment, too!

This Mazingira Day, our staff celebrated by volunteering their time to plant more trees, because building a healthier future for children also means caring for the world they will inherit.

🌱 This year, we have strengthened fencing to help keep wild animals away from areas where farm animals and poultry are kept.

🌱 We have planted giant bamboo to help control soil erosion and protect our land.

🌱 We continue planting indigenous trees to rehabilitate our local forest, restore natural habitats and help nature thrive again.

Every tree matters. Every act of care counts. And every step towards a greener environment is an investment in the next generation.

At Shoe4Africa, we believe that healthy children need a healthy environment in which to grow, learn and dream. We don't go Green for a DAY, we LIVE green!!

08/10/2026

Today is World Sight Day, and I find myself fondly remembering the days when Shoe4Africa used to host running races across Kenya.

At every race, we tried to make sure there was a prize for our visually impaired runners. It was never an afterthought; they were runners, they were competitors, and they deserved to be recognised just like everyone else.

These two visually impaired girls, Egla and Loice, are pictured after finishing one of our races.

I have kept in touch with Loice over the years (today she lives in Manhattan), and I still smile when I think about one particular race we held in Kibera. Imagine running through the Kibera slums while visually impaired!
Loice not only did it, but she won the visually impaired division. And her prize was a pair of running shoes kindly donated by the great Paula Radcliffe.

Today, Shoe4Africa supports children with visual problems in different ways. And perhaps fittingly, just yesterday I was sitting down with Dr. Lily, talking about how we can bring Pediatric Ophthalmology to the Shoe4Africa Children’s Health Village.

The journey continues for us...putting kids first. From running races across Kenya, to supporting with equipment, helping children see more clearly, live more fully and have more opportunities ahead of them. Happy World Sight Day. ❤️

07/10/2026

Thanks To KASS TV, and thanks to Nancy Talam Wagner and her German friends for visiting our kids
https://www.facebook.com/reel/4571577316444109

05/10/2026

It was French… now German in Iten and we love visitors!

After our All4Running group training session in Iten Town, where the older kids had headed out for their long run while the younger ones stayed behind for drills on the local field, we had a wonderful group of German visitors arrive, led by Kenyan/German Nancy Wagner, a former Kenyan top runner who today resides in Detmold, Germany.

Our kids simply love visitors…especially visitors who come with lessons, stories and, of course, a few gifts!

Danke schön, Nancy and friends, for caring about our kids, expanding their young minds and giving them the chance to learn a little about Germany, its culture, and the world beyond Iten.

The All4Running Club really has become the place to be for kids in Iten, with consistent classes and activities that put children at the centre — running lessons by Joanne, chess lessons by James, French by Leandre, reading, technology by teacher Roy, life lessons, environment classes by Cynthia, Girls Empowerment from Chelimo, and plenty of fun.

Because at All4Running, it’s 'the' place where young dreams take their first stride.

02/10/2026

Today its pictures from one of our favorite projects at the All4Running club that takes place from 6-7:30 am M-F, and we thank Joan Chelimo — running ace, humanitarian, founder of , co-founder of Tirop’s Angels, and superstar.

Joan recently heard about this small project we have been running in Iten town. It is simple, but incredibly meaningful.

Too many children are walking to school in the early morning with empty stomachs. This happens in communities all over the world, but when we looked at one public school in Iten, we found that an astonishing 80% of the children were sitting at their desks without having had any solid food that morning. (and its not like they had a lot to eat the night before).

Imagine being a child, trying to concentrate on your lessons, while your stomach is empty.

So, for the past few months, we have been providing free porridge breakfasts before school. And, when we can, we add a boiled egg too, or a banana. Nothing fancy...just a nutritious breakfast to start the day.

When Joan heard about the initiative, it wasn't enough for her that she was already doing her own incredible work through her various philanthropic efforts. She wanted to step up and help us too.

So Joan has decided to sponsor the porridge programme for an entire month.

Thank you, Joan. ❤️ These are just four little beneficiaries of many who come to our facility.

We look forward to welcoming you to the club to meet the kids and inspire them with your own story.

25/09/2026

BE BOLD, GO GOLD! 💛

Today was such a nice day at SHOE4AFRICA. Thank you to Faraja!

Our hospital was filled with yellow, smiles and an awful lot of “asante, asante!” from the patients and parents as the wonderful Faraja team moved through the every ward on our three floors, bringing gifts to children and their families as part of Be Bold, Go Gold.

And what a beautiful surprise they had prepared, a massive 250 gift bags! I had to peek inside, and these weren't just pretty presents. They were packed with things families genuinely need and children genuinely love: bathing soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, jumbo tissue, an apple, Arimis, juice, a balloon and, of course, a lollipop! 🎈

For a few hours, the wards felt a little like Christmas had arrived early in September. Children were smiling, families were grateful, and the whole hospital seemed to have a little more light in it for an afternoon.

A huge asante sana to Shaira, Diana and everyone at Faraja team for putting so much thought and kindness into this day. Telling our kids, You Are Not Forgotten.

You didn't simply bring many many gifts but you brought joy, love, dignity, and a timely reminder that these children are always our main focus!

This is really what Go Gold, Be Gold is all about. 💛

Please, please do it again!

22/09/2026

Igniting Dreams at All4Running.

At the club, one of our big goals is to inspire and ignite young minds in Iten town. Over the years, we’ve welcomed Olympic champions, world record holders, and Google ‘professors’ and kung fu champions to speak to our kids. And this Saturday, a powerful voice came from someone who simply said: “Hello, I am one of you.”

Meet Rehema Jepkoech. Born locally in challenging circumstances and schooled at Tambach, just 12 km down the Great Rift Valley from Iten, Rehema grew up gazing at the rocky cliffs and asking herself: “How am I going to get out of here and see the world?”

Like others she tried running, but it didn’t take her far enough, so she chose a very different path, and she studied French. In a place where no kids spoke it, she trained her mind with the same discipline an athlete trains for the Olympics.

Her determination carried her in leaps to Eldoret, to Nairobi, to Miramas, France, where she became a bridge between cultures, helping bring Kenyan coaches to Europe from her district.

In May this year, she shone at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, honored alongside world leaders, namely French President Emmanuel Macron, Kenyan President William Ruto, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, and Miramas Mayor Frédéric Vigouroux. Wow!

Next week, she returns to France to teach English to French students, and in October, she’ll be a VIP guest at the Dakar Youth Olympics in Senegal.

Rehema’s story is concrete proof that opportunity is not defined by where you start, but by how far you’re willing to dream.

Rehema refused to let circumstance limit her destiny and this weekend she inspired our kids to believe that their dreams too can reach the stars.

Thank you Rehema for coming!

21/09/2026

We just *Loved* this post!

"The foot said absolutely not. But the cause said Absolutely Yes!"

Thank you to actress Kristine Frosoth, an ambassador of Shoe4Africa, for running the TCS New York City Marathon raising money to help build a Children's Cancer Hospital way, way, away from her world....over in Kenya!

Address

Nandi Road
Eldoret
30100

Website

http://www.shoe4africa.org/

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