SHOES THAT GROW ARE CHANGING LIVES AROUND THE WORLD

An enterprising American has started a company that makes kids’ shoes that ‘grow’ five sizes, so they last for years.

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While volunteering at a Nairobi orphanage in Kenya in 2007, Kenton Lee glanced down at the dusty feet of a seven-year-old girl. ‘I was absolutely shocked at how small her shoes were,’ he recalls. ‘They were way too small for her feet. She had to cut open the front just to let her toes stick out.’

An idea occurred to Kenton: What if he made a shoe that could ‘grow’, to keep pace with a child’s growing feet? It was an idea that followed him back to his hometown in Idaho. Together with some friends, he tried to interest big shoe manufacturers like Nike and Adidas, but they all turned him down. After a few failed experiments in a garage, Kenton instead approached a small shoemaking business, which helped produce their first batch – and The Shoe That Grows was born.

The shoes are produced at a factory in Mombasa, Kenya. ‘We love partnering with this factory – they produce an amazing shoe,’ enthuses Kenton.

HOW DO THE SHOES ‘GROW’?
The bottom of the shoe consists of compressed rubber, while the top is synthetic leather. The shoes can adjust five sizes and last for years. At the front is a loop system with holes and two metal studs for enlarging the shoes. At the sides and back are velcro straps. ‘The shoes just naturally unfold and grow as the foot grows,’ explains Kenton, whose charity Because International funds the manufacture of the shoes.

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PROTECTION AGAINST PARASITES
The best part about The Shoe That Grows is that it reduces the need for children to get a new pair of shoes every year and it helps prevent soil-transmitted diseases from parasites like jiggers.

DID YOU KNOW?
Jiggers are tiny sand fleas found in sub- Saharan Africa, that burrow into the skin, usually on the feet, causing painful swelling.



WORLD DISTRIBUTION
Kenton partners with non-profit organisations and churches, who pay for and distribute the shoes to those in need. So far the shoes, which cost $20 a pair (around 290.00, which is very little when you consider they last for years), have been exported to kids in more than 100 countries, including South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland. ‘But our largest concentration of shoes is in East Africa,’ says Kenton, ‘namely Kenya and Uganda.’

Like the shoes themselves, the company has expanded exponentially. In 2014, 3,000 pairs of shoes were produced. Today more than 300,000 pairs have been distributed all over the world. ‘It used to be just a hobby for me,’ says Kenton. ‘But now it’s my full-time job and I have a team of 11 people.’

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“I felt God put opportunities in front of me – and I just tried to keep saying yes!”

HELPING OTHERS REACH THEIR DREAMS
He credits his faith as being an integral part of making his dream come true. ‘I felt God put opportunities in front of me – and I just tried to keep saying yes!’ Now that his own dream has been realised, Kenton is helping others to reach theirs. ‘We’ve just started a new programme called Pursuit Incubator, which trains global entrepreneurs to have success with their own idea for a product that can make a difference.’

Making a difference for Kenton is all about bringing joy and hope. ‘The most encouraging feedback we receive is when kids tell us what they are able to do – dance, play soccer, walk to get food – now that they have a good pair of shoes that fits them.’

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