A total of 20,000 pairs of pre-loved sports shoes donated by children from all over Ireland have been delivered to Cape Town in South Africa to benefit children in local schools and townships.
The 'In My Shoes' charity, co-founded by Sligo man Ciaran McHugh, collected the shoes from 350 schools throughout the country last year.
The initiative grew out of a business trip to Africa some years ago when Mr McHugh noticed children were playing sports without shoes.
He thought of the shoes his own children had grown out of which were still in good condition in his attic.
He figured that there were thousands of pairs of perfectly good shoes in many other attics around Ireland and set up a charity to give them a second life.
Along with his business colleague Kevin Grant, who is London-based but originally from Bloemfontein in South Africa, he set up the charity to tackle the issue of children going barefoot.
It began as a small initiative but grew to a widespread campaign which Mr McHugh said shows how "small acts of kindness can have a profound impact".
He said it has "resonated deeply within the Irish community, garnering support from children, parents, and educators alike".
"Schools have embraced the initiative, fostering a culture of generosity and appreciation among students," he added.
In My Shoes partners with leading South African non-governmental agencies, such as Connect Academy, CATCH Trust and Masi Sports, to efficiently distribute shoes to children in need and over this week the team has been meeting with those partners to personally deliver the preloved footwear, ensuring they reach those who need it most.
Catherine McGee, who is campaign manager for In My Shoes and is in South Africa with Mr McHugh, said the benefit of donating the shoes to children will help with "improved school attendance, enhanced safety, boosted self-esteem, and access to after-school sports".
She said she hopes the donated shoes will make a meaningful difference in the recipients' lives.
One of the people they have met this week is Mayor of Cape Town Geordan Hill-Lewis who thanked all those who donated sneakers.
"These shoes that came all the way from Ireland are going to go to wonderful use helping kids across South Africa, not just in Cape Town, so thank you so much for giving of your time and resources to make a difference here," he said.
Reflecting on the campaign, Mr McHugh said: "I have never been involved in a project before where so many wanted to do so much for so little. In My Shoes seems to be a cause of its time.
"A simple idea but one with the potential to impact thousands of lives, in however small a way, by connecting individual acts of kindness.
"With shoes come school, and education, a hopeful future."
A new campaign will be announced soon for 2024, he added.
