530 pairs delivered across Ghana

Shoes for the Shoeless.

Making affordable, durable shoes the norm for every African child, so no child ever has to walk to school barefoot.

Every pair is handmade in Ghana and fitted by hand.

Give by Mobile Money: 053 916 0861 (Edna Frimpong)

The problem

Sore feet keep children out of class.

A child without shoes risks cuts, infections, and long, painful walks to school. Some stay home altogether. Families want their children in shoes, but a reliable, affordable, repeatable way to provide them doesn’t exist at scale. We’re building one.

The same row of students before and after receiving shoes: bare feet on top, sandals below — Same students. Before and after.

300Mchildren worldwide go barefoot every day.

40%of people on earth walk barefoot daily.

Pupils at their desks in a rural classroom

The big idea

A pair of shoes is a small thing. Getting it to every child is a system.

We design a simple blueprint for sourcing, fitting, and delivering durable footwear at the lowest possible cost per pair, then prove it school by school.

01
Made in Ghana
Handcrafted by a team of 10 local shoemakers, with soles cut from recycled tyres and materials sourced in Ghana. Durable, affordable, and fair-wage.
02
Fitted in person
We work with community leaders and schools to find the children most in need, then fit every pair by hand on distribution day.
03
More than shoes
Mentorship talks, exercise books, water bottles and school supplies travel with every pair. The shoes stand for wider support.
Fund a pair Partner with us

A Ghanaian shoemaker stitching a sandal by hand in the workshop

Finished black sandals laid out on the workshop floor

Made in Ghana
Fitted in person
More than shoes
530 pairs delivered
7 schools reached

Live counter

Step by step, school by school.

Add a pair to the count

pairs delivered: 530pairs delivered
schools reached: 7schools reached
cost per pair: $10cost per pair

530 of 1,000 pairs

Our next goal: 1,000 children in shoes

First phase, 2025: 183 pairs

Asikabew Eastern47
Bentum Central50
Ateyedo Central30
Sankpala Northern30
Accra Greater Accra26

Distribution day

Watch a classroom get its shoes.

Filmed at Mante School of Excellence, Afienya. One minute, start to finish.

A row of children's feet in new black sandals

Our inspiration

“Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you.”
Joshua 1:3

Every child’s steps lead somewhere. We want them to take those steps well, in school and in places that look impossible to them.

Our story

Started by a shoemaker who refused to look away.

Edna is a shoemaker and social advocate with eight years in social work. She started Shoe for the Shoeless to put durable, locally made shoes on the feet of children who walk to school barefoot, and trains local workmen in the craft so they can build their own futures.

Ghana Grow Young Innovators Award 2024, Mastercard Foundation & Springboard Roadshow Foundation
Ghana 40 Under 40 awardee in shoemaking
Named youngest Iconic Female Shoemaker by WestlionCo
Author of “The Shoemaker Gurl” and co-founder of Ahofade

More about Edna Frimpong →