By Chinelo Obogo
Bridge International Academies, a network of community schools that leverage technology to teach children in underserved communities, has collaborated with two companies to provide free shoes for kids.
The initiative, ‘Happy Feet,’ which is a partnership with Hommaston Limited and Zabhary Footwears is aimed at making an impact by providing 300 pupils with free, high-quality school shoes.
Co-Founder at Hommaston Limited, Taiwo Soyannwo, said the three organisations believe in the transformative power of education, and the ‘Happy Feet’ initiative is a testament to that fact. “The initiative is also our way of giving back to society. At Hommaston, we are trying to build capacity and invest in the next generation. We thought it would be a great thing for these children to start their learning journey at Bridge International Academies where they get quality education while we provide them with some level of comfort by financing the supply of 200 pairs of good quality shoes at no cost to the pupils. We will be interacting with them after their university education so why not be part of their entire journey,” Soyannwo said.
Founder of Zabhary Footwears, Hilary Ndeze, said the initiative was aimed at making more children happy which was why the brand contributed an additional 100 pairs of shoes to pupils at Bridge International Academies. “Together, we are fostering a sense of belonging and purpose among the underprivileged children who represent the future of our nation. We are happy to support Hommaston and Bridge International Academies to ensure more children are happy.”
On her part, Foyinsola Akinjayeju, Managing Director, Bridge International Academies, said, “By ensuring that Bridge pupils have comfortable, durable and appropriate footwear for their educational journey, the initiative aims to address critical needs while also helping them focus on learning and personal development. This initiative aligns perfectly with Bridge International Academies’ mission to make quality education accessible to all children, regardless of their economic circumstances. We operate schools where every child, regardless of their socio-economic background, gender, age etc. has access to equal opportunities.
“This ‘Happy Feet’ campaign embodies our collective commitment to making a difference in the communities we all serve. For us at Bridge, our mission is to provide children with a life-changing education, but some things have been taken for granted including some of the basic needs that these children have and their parents are unable to provide due to various reasons including financial constraints. By providing school shoes to some pupils, they will be able to learn in comfort, walk more confidently, with a spring in their step towards a brighter future.”