Duduza – Pray Tsotetsi started his Dr School Shoes Tour Project at local schools. His cobbler (someone who repairs shoes) father taught him how to repair shoes at 10 years of age.
The initiative repairs the torn school shoes of children from underprivileged backgrounds.
“My initiative started in March and was motivated by an encounter. A child had brought his school shoes to my father but found me instead. He urgently needed them repaired to attend his late teacher’s funeral over the weekend, so I agreed to fix them.
“I discovered the shoes were irreparable because they were so damaged. I temporarily patched them but was unimpressed. I decided to post pictures of the shoes on Facebook, hoping to get this boy a new pair,” explained Tsotetsi.
He said a couple from Tsakani generously bought the boy a pair of school shoes.
Pray Tsotetsi.
“This brought to my attention the number of children who might need school shoes. I ran my first initiative at Thandi Eleanor Sibeko Secondary School on March 12. A teacher from the school saw my work and asked me to come and help their learners.
“I moved on to James Nkosi and Zakheni primary schools and never looked back,” he said.
Tsotetsi works with schools to identify the learners needing his services. He repairs 30 shoes daily and has repaired over 79 since last month.
“This initiative bridges the gap and restores confidence in every child while ending bullying. Proper shoes make a child feel comfortable about going to school,” he added.
He said his initiative seeks support and sponsorship through school shoes, sewing materials and other school-related donations. He aims to continue his initiative to help as many children as possible. For more information, call Tsotetsi on 063 363 4588.
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