Upcycling matters because now 5000 more students in South Africa have new schools shoes made from materials that would’ve gone to waste! Meet Shoose Life, the initiative stepping forward:
Pretoria, South Africa (05 July 2023) — Ever wondered where life-saving materials go after they’ve done their job? Oxygen masks, drip bags and other tubing can’t be reused for their original purposes in most cases due to health and safety reasons, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still make a difference. For one Non-Profit Company, the end of one journey means putting your best foot forward for another, and so Shoose Life was born!
Taking non-hazardous hospital materials and turning them into school shoes, Shoose Life is stepping forward to empower young, underprivileged students with an essential.
Although the NPC only started its long walk to change less than a year ago, over 5000 pairs of shoes have been made with 500-plus schools being positively impacted already!
Founded by Mrs Pretoria-Tshwane Shannon Van Biljon, the idea for Shoose Life was simple. She learned that 5 million South African schoolchildren do not have school shoes and so the wheels began turning on what she could do for two futures: the children’s and the planet’s.
Teaming up with numerous hospitals to ensure the materials to be upcycled won’t be missed, Shoose Life developed a way to create shoes made from 100% recyclable materials and set out on a mission to deliver them to low-income schools that need them most. You can see their process here!
For Shannon, this was an important way to serve in and beyond Pretoria.
“I love people and love serving. I believe serving leads to identity and identity leads to purpose. My goal for this initiative is to get 1 Million pairs of shoes on less fortunate children’s feet across the country and beyond.”—Shannon Van Biljon.
Other incredible members are the team also go steps above the sashays including Gontse Richi, founder of Hope Recovered and Mrs Pretoria Tshwane 1st Princess.
Relying on sponsorship for the shoe-making process, Shoose Life has built up a network that encourages corporates to lend a shoe by committing R35 to each pair of shoes created.
Lacing together responsibility and environmental consciousness? We’re here for it.
Of a recent victory, 2366 pairs of shoes are on their way to Mpumalanga’s Middleburg!
You can travel with the shoes and see the change they make by checking out Shoose Life’s socials.
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