The Shoe That Grows Story
On September 7, Kenton Lee, Regent University alumnus, joined us online to tell his story and encourage others to think about how they might use his ideas in creative ways that will make a difference and an impact on the lives of others.
The Shoe That Grows is a Patent for Humanity Award Winner this year.
The idea came when Mr. Lee was traveling abroad. Soil-transmitted illnesses affect over 1.5 billion people in the world, many of whom are children who simply don’t have a pair of shoes. These illnesses can lead to nutritional and physical impairment, inability to attend school, and physical suffering. Because International is a non-profit dedicated to providing shoes for children in poverty. However, shoes donated from industrialized countries do not always work well: children outgrow donated shoes, and they often fall apart. To remedy this, Because founder Kenton Lee designed an adjustable sandal-like shoe that can be expanded as a child grows. The shoes can be made with local materials and last for years. Over the past 3 years, Because International has distributed 180,000 pairs of “The Shoe” to children in over 95 countries. They recently started producing shoes in Ethiopia, providing jobs for impoverished communities, and plan to open other facilities in Haiti and Kenya soon. Mr Lee is also looking to assist other entrepreneurs bring their dreams of innovations to fruition.
The Event
