World Shoe, renowned as the first footwear brand in Africa to produce antimicrobial shoes for global markets, has announced a strategic partnership today with the Pan African Youth Union (PAYU) Health and Hygiene Impact Project. As part of this collaboration, World Shoe will donate 500,000 pairs of shoes to kickstart the initiative.
The PAYU initiative, leveraging World Shoe’s innovative WASH&WEAR model, aims to accelerate health interventions across various sectors. This partnership includes CouldYou?, a leader in menstrual health and hygiene, which will distribute 50,000 reusable menstrual cups to adolescent girls in 15 African countries, including Ghana, Liberia, Uganda, Malawi, Kenya, and Nigeria. These countries collectively face significant challenges, with 661.2 million people needing treatment for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), and over 76 million children affected by soil-transmitted helminths (STHs).
World Shoe’s donation of 500,000 shoes marks the first phase of the project’s ambition to distribute 1.5 million shoes and 700,000 menstrual cups to those in need. Manny Ohonme, Founder and President of World Shoe, emphasized the impact of local manufacturing, stating, “By producing both shoes and menstrual cups within Africa, we empower individuals affected by poverty-related diseases to heal and thrive.”
Bening Ahmed Wiisichong, Secretary-General of the Pan African Youth Union, highlighted the significance of this partnership in advancing community health and hygiene, particularly among underserved groups such as refugees and adolescent girls. The Pan African Youth Union serves as a pivotal platform for youth across Africa, advocating for inclusion and systemic change.
World Shoe invites interested individuals and organizations to join in their mission by contacting them directly to support the initiative’s goal of reaching 1.5 million individuals.
