FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: LaTasha Chambers, Communications Associate
LChambers@childfund.org or 804-545-3626
ChildFund Goes Bare for One Day Without Shoes
Richmond, VA – April 3, 2012– Imagine having to walk to work or school
barefoot crossing hot pavement, stepping on a pebble, getting bit by a bug.
That’s the reality for many children in the countries where we work.
On April 10, ChildFund International will participate in One Day Without Shoes.
Employees are encouraged to spend the day barefoot to raise awareness of the
impact a pair of shoes can have on a child’s life. The experience will be
captured on ChildFund’s Facebook and Twitter pages and the organization’s
website.
ChildFund works in many developing countries where access to decent shoes is
limited. For example, Liberia endured 14 years of civil war, which took a heavy
toll on the education sector before the conflict ended in 2003. To date, school
enrollment and retention rates are low. One reason for this is that students are
required to wear uniforms and shoes to school. Without shoes, they can’t attend.
A lack of shoes also means children’s feet are exposed to diseases, infections
and cuts. A ChildFund study in 2010 estimated that 15 percent of school-aged
children in developing countries have hookworm or another parasitic disease
due to bare feet. For hundreds of millions of children, growing up barefoot puts
them at risk of injury, infection and soil-transmitted diseases and most don’t have
access to medical care for treatment.
A pair of shoes can be the link to education and a determinant of long-term
success and a healthier life.
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ChildFund International is a global child development and protection agency serving more than 13.5 million children and their family members in 31 countries. For more than 70 years, we have helped the world’s deprived, excluded and vulnerable children survive and thrive to reach their full potential and become leaders of enduring change. As a member of ChildFund Alliance we create supportive environments in which children can flourish. To sponsor a child in need, visit the ChildFund website.