The Humpty Dumpty Institute (HDI) is pleased to announce the distribution of new shoes to thousands of school children in Quang Tri province in central Vietnam as part of its school-based Mine Risk Education (MRE) program carried out by HDI’s Vietnamese partner, Project RENEW. TOMS, a for-profit company, has pioneered the One for One® business model, through which TOMS gives one pair of new shoes to a child in need for every pair that TOMS sells.
The main beneficiaries of the TOMS shoe distribution in Vietnam are school children aged 5 to 17 years living in areas contaminated by unexploded ordnance (UXO). Because most of these children participate in their families’ farming activities, they are very vulnerable to UXO accidents. HDI is providing each student with a good, solid pair of shoes for school thereby easing an economic burden for their parents. HDI is also using the shoe distribution as an opportunity to increase awareness of the dangers of UXO, which pose a lingering threat to the people of Quang Tri Province even though the war ended more than 35 years ago. The goal is for no children to be victims of UXO accidents in the project areas within one year from the shoe distribution. Integrated into Project RENEW’s school-based Mine Risk Education program, the shoe distribution is not a one-time effort. With the support of TOMS, HDI will distribute replacement shoes every six months so that, as the children’s feet grow, they will receive new shoes of larger sizes.
As Mr. Le Van A, principal of a primary school receiving shoes put it: "While the shoes protect the children’s feet and motivate them to study harder, MRE messages help them know how to be safe from UXOs." Looking around at the excited and happy children, Mr. A said, "We thank Project RENEW, HDI and TOMS for equipping our students with safety awareness, and giving them safe footsteps toward a brighter tomorrow."
HồThị B, a fifth grader trying on her new pair of shoes for the first time, expressed the feelings of many of the students: "I have dreamed of having a new pair of shoes for a long time. Now that dream has come true!" she said. "Thank you Project RENEW and HDI for giving us such a precious gift at the start of the new school-year."
William J. Rouhana Jr., Chairman of the Board of the Humpty Dumpty Institute, said, "We are very pleased that TOMS has chosen to partner with us in distributing shoes as part of our Mine Risk Education efforts. Quang Tri Province was the most heavily bombed area of Vietnam during the war, and nearly a third of UXO accident victims are children. Distributing shoes while providing MRE messages is a wonderful way to reinforce to children the dangers of unexploded ordnance."
According to Ralph Cwerman, President of HDI, "The TOMS shoe distribution is part of HDI’s continuing commitment to Quang Tri Province and the mutual efforts of HDI and RENEW to heal the wounds of war. Since 2009, HDI has also partnered with Project RENEW to implement the Mushrooms with a Mission program, which currently helps nearly 250 families of UXO survivors and disabled people to grow mushrooms for sustainable incomes."
