Some things to consider before your trip.

Thank you for your interest in distributing The Shoe That Grows on your next service trip!

In situations of crisis like the aftermath of natural disasters, displacement from war and conflict, the devastation after disease outbreak, or the loss of parents or providers, The Shoe That Grows can meet an immediate need for children and families.

In a child’s day-to-day life, The Shoe That Grows can create an environment of self-empowerment by making education more accessible and keeping kids healthy. 

As you plan to distribute The Shoe That Grows, below are some things to consider to ensure that your small act makes a big impact. We’ve assembled some tips to help you prepare for your trip, have a successful distribution of The Shoe That Grows, and make the most of your experience even after you return. 

Step 1: Considerations before your trip.

Start by listening—learn about the culture and needs of the place to which you are traveling.
Chances are you are here on our website because you are traveling to a culture different than your own—internationally or maybe even domestically. Chances are that you have other objectives in addition to distributing The Shoe That Grows. The best way to make sure that you meet those objectives and make a lasting difference is to put aside your assumptions and listen! If you can learn directly from people living in the culture you will visit, even better! Plan to learn before, during, and after you go. Instead of a service trip, maybe you are really on a listening trip so you can determine how to turn your short-term experience into making a long term impact. Be ready to be surprised by not only the challenges but also the assets of those in the community you visit.

Establish a relationship with an organization or individual located in the area you’re traveling to that serves children and/or families.
If you don’t have one already, try to make a connection with an organization or person who is already working in the culture you are headed to. A short-term visit is just that … short. Your service can make a more lasting impact if you support a long-term effort led by people who live in or intimately understand the community and its needs. A relationship with those already in service can be a huge help in understanding what your role and that of your team should be when you visit.

Confirm that shoes are a real need with the option for the receiver to choose a different form of assistance.
Although we believe shoes can make a real difference, they are certainly not a primary need in every context. For a number of reasons, shoes may be an inappropriate use of your resources. The community may have other, higher priorities that your funding or help should be put towards. Work with the local leadership whenever possible in determining how to help when you visit and what the best use of monetary resources should be. Shoes may be a great choice, but we recommend offering options.

If shoes are a need, consider a local product and offer The Shoe That Grows.
The Shoe That Grows is only one of many quality footwear options for children in poverty. Although more innovative than most, The Shoe That Grows may not be the best choice if locally produced or distributed footwear is available. Purchasing shoes from or working with local distributors supports the local economy, potentially alleviating poverty more systematically than a one time donation of product from outside the community. Investigate local options for footwear *and* offer The Shoe That Grows to your contact. (The Shoe That Grows is now a local option for communities in several East African countries because of our production site in Kenya!)

Have a plan for the distribution that relies on the local leaders.
When it comes to giving products, like The Shoe That Grows, you will naturally want to be part of the distribution. It’s wonderful to see the joy on kids’ faces when they receive a needed item like a pair of shoes, but your presence can sometimes be problematic—inadvertently making the gift about you more than the child. Expectations, even unvoiced, about who gets the gift, how the gift is received, and who gets the credit can reinforce stereotypes about global poverty. Instead, consider having the shoes delivered and distributed before you arrive or after you have left. Let the local leaders determine how to distribute and take the credit. Doing so can empower the community by allowing them to use their own judgement, customs, and action to meet the needs of other community members. Children will see their long term caretakers as the providers instead of short term visitors. Stepping out of the distribution process is a sacrifice, but it can contribute to a less tangible but longer lasting impact.

Ready to take the next step towards your shoe distribution? Fill out the form here.

Step 5: Considerations for your distribution.

Ensure the shoes go to parents, leaders, or teachers so that they can determine the best way to distribute them.
Instead of trying to manage the gift of shoes yourself by giving them directly out to kids, turn the process over to the local leaders. When in a new context, the need can be overwhelming at times. It’s tempting to want to give gifts to kids as you see a need; however, being new to the community, you may not be able to assess where the real needs are. The local leaders can help ensure that gifts go where they will be most helpful.

Try to set aside your ideas of how shoes/gifts are distributed and appreciated.
When entering a new cultural context, we often bring our own culturally-based ideas with us unknowingly. When distributing shoes, try to keep in mind that the culture you are in may respond differently to gifts than you are used to. Try not to expect a specific kind of response. Also, be careful about attachments and relational expectations on the children you are meeting. You are only in people’s lives for a short time, so while you will likely have a life-changing experience because you are experiencing something new, you may not alter others’ lives as drastically or visibly. That is okay!

If applicable, talk to the leaders of the organization about developing a system that would allow the kids to earn their shoes instead of receiving them as a gift.
If you have a long-term relationship with leaders or an organization in the area you are visiting, it might be appropriate to learn more about how they handle the distribution of gifts like shoes. If you work together on logistics, consider suggesting a system that allows kids to participate in earning their shoes in some way. Research shows that people appreciate more things they work for and are empowered by participating in bettering their own circumstances.

Focus on being present, building relationships, and learning about others.
When in a new context for a short period of time, it's easy to get caught up in logistics trying to make the best use of your and your team's time. However, the people you are serving likely run on a different schedule than you do. Instead of worrying about tasks like distribution that aren’t necessarily timely in the lives of recipients, focus on being present with people, understanding their lives, and listening to their stories. Distributing shoes is not typically the primary purpose of a service trip, so it doesn’t need to become the main focus. People should always be the priority!

Consult the Because International Social Media Best Practices Guide.
Before sharing about your experiences publicly during and after your trip, check out our Social Media Best Practices guide. This guide can help assure you are honoring and respectful of people and their cultures in your photos and posts. You will no doubt have a lot to share and your experiences can be beneficial to others, but how you share is important.

Step 6: Considerations after your return.

Schedule time for reflection about your experiences.
Returning to your own culture after experiencing something dramatically different can be overwhelming even after a short-term cultural immersion. Be sure to plan time to consider what you’ve learned and experienced and how your perspectives have changed. Despite your initial altered mindset, it is easy to go back to your pre-trip ways of thinking and doing once you are back in your daily routine. Reflect on what is different in your perspective about global poverty and how you want to put your new perspective into action going forward.

Consider ongoing ways to support the community with whom you interacted.
Just because you are home doesn’t mean your interaction with the community has to stop. Perhaps your team already has an ongoing relationship with the people you visited, but if not, think about ways you may be able to continue support as an individual. Even if you don’t have plans to return, ongoing assistance in the form of money or specific resources requested by the local leaders can continue the impact of your trip indefinitely.

Look for opportunities to channel your new perspectives into alleviating poverty in your own community.
Even though your trip is over, addressing poverty is a constant need both internationally and locally. Consider using your experiences and understanding of the issues facing people in poverty globally to get involved in poverty alleviation in your own community. At home, you can build long-term relationships and assess needs and assets much easier than on a short-term trip outside of your cultural context. Sometimes the need in your own neighborhood is as great or greater than somewhere around the world, and you are perfectly equipped to start meeting that need!

Help us gather information and improve processes by completing the follow up survey and providing photos and stories.
At Because, we are constantly innovating our approach and your perspective is essential to making our work as effective as possible. Please take the follow up survey so we can better understand how the distribution process is happening on trips like yours and what we can do to better support our partners. We would also love to hear your stories and see your photos! Let us know if we can share your experiences with our audiences.