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We are excited to announce that Shoes to the World is expanding to another geographical region of the world – Africa! We’ve kicked off a special campaign to fund distributions across South Sudan, the newest country of the world. In order to expand our reach around the globe, we’ve partnered with a couple other organizations and their missions – SSHCO and Bidaya. Please check out the background info below to get introduced to our awesome new partners. They’re a great match for Shoes to the World because at their core, like STTW, their missions are to provide basic necessities to people living in extreme poverty with no access to healthcare or education, and sometimes not even clean drinking water. So, will you help ignite our momentum by partnering with us now for a strong launch?

We’ve created a special mission fund for this outreach in South Sudan. If you feel called to support this campaign, you can donate on Facebook or our website. ​

1. 1. 1. Facebook – *please* donate to the specific fundraiser for South Sudan, not the page’s main donate button.
      2. Website – after you click ‘donate’, please choose the “Special Campaign” option in the dropdown menu on PayPal’s donation portal.

SSHCO, or the Southern Sudan Healthcare Organization, was built with this vision in mind: to bring health and hope to where it was lost. Their primary mission statement is to provide healthcare services, medical supplies and education to uplift the people of South Sudan. SSHCO started a clinic over 10 years ago to combat diseases, including especially malaria, as well as maternal healthcare to help provide the best future for women and their children. Since its creation in 2008, the health clinic has provided new levels of healthcare to the people of Maar and surrounding areas for the first time. The clinic has grown and currently treats up to 3,000 people monthly. STTW will distribute shoes at the existing clinic in Maar as well as at new clinics and medical outposts that get setup.

This all started decades ago after a vicious civil war broke out, when 40,000 young boys were forced to flee their home villages. Jacob Atem (as seen on TedX) and Lual Deng – co-founders of SSHCO – were among those boys. Known as the “Lost Boys of Sudan”, after walking over 1,000 miles tragically only half of the boys survived the brutal journey. Most found temporary refuge in Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya before finding permanent, stable homes in the United States and Australia.

“Health Knows No Boundaries – Bringing health and hope to where it is lost.”   ​

​Bidaya, meaning “the beginning” in Arabic (the lingua franca of South Sudan), is a philanthropic apparel brand working directly with SSHCO to increase awareness and help generate funds. This organization was established by a Marine Veteran and his wife in partnership with Jacob Atem.  They’ve launched a comfortable yet durable, and easily packable line of adventure apparel. They pride themselves on how it can take a thrashing that any weekend warrior throws at it. With every purchase, they’re able to provide medical supplies and education to a new nation that is in desperate need of it.

“High Quality, Deep Purpose isn’t just a motto, it’s the Bidaya way of life.”