The donation of December 2012 goes to:
Cherished Feet is a non-profit organisation, which provides footwear to underprivileged families. Our team travels to the poorest parts of developing countries, and in the US to provide footwear, and offer hope.
6 billion people live in conditions inconceivable. There are numerous diseases that infect millions of poor people in developing countries, yet we rarely hear about them. A leading cause of disease in these countries are parasites. They are found in soil-transmitted helminths (a type of parasitic worm), which can penetrate the skin through bare feet.
Parasites enter the body through ingestion or bare feet. Impoverished people have so few resources, they generally live in areas where trash and human waste have made the soil a breeding ground for a variety of lethal organisms. Due to these circumstances, unfortunate children spend their entire day walking barefoot in garbage dumps.
The majority of the world’s poor must walk where they go. A good pair of sandals or sneakers would provide help in an already difficult situation. Any kind of footwear would protect these unfortunate children against soil parasites, cuts, abrasions and infection. Wearing shoes can help prevent diseases, and the long-term physical and cognitive harm they cause. Footwear will allow poor families to walk the extra mile where they can obtain food, water, shelter or medical help.
Cherished Feet purpose is to provide impoverished children and families with a first step, path, towards a brighter future.
[This month’s donation is inspired by Lawrence DePrimo]