Did you know, that by donating your used athletic shoes to Fleet Feet Sports, you can help farmers in need? Through the M.O.R.E Foundation, Fleet Feet stores around the country have donated enough shoes to sponsor an entire village in Ghana!
So how do sneakers help farmers? Well, the M.O.R.E. Foundation sells the used shoes we donate, and the proceeds are used to sponsor needy farmers in developing countries. Here's how your shoe donation helps:
In the Fleet Feet village, proceeds from shoe donations are used to plant trees, which in turn help the environment and create jobs. Here is a message from the M.O.R.E. staff in Ghana working with the Fleet Feet Sports Villages:
Fleet Feet villages are located in KETU-SOUTH district in Volta region of Ghana. Fleet feet villages are strategically located at the border town of Aflao and serve as the eastern gateway to Ghana. The villages are 200 kilometers from Accra. Glitame KLIKOR and YAWUNE villages (FLEET FEET SPORTS VILLAGES) have a population of one thousand two hundred (1200) with females dominating.
The climate of the villages is dry equatorial type of climate. The rainfall is of double maxima type occurring from April to July and September to October. The dry season, which is dominated by Harmattan Winds, extends from December to February.
The agricultural sector is the single most important economic sector in villages and main crops grown are, maize, cassava, pepper, cowpea and sweet potatoes.
The original vegetation of the villages is coastal savanna woodland made up of short grassland with small clumps of bushes and some trees. However the extensive farming activities in the villages have, over the years, reduced the natural vegetation amid the use of several chemicals in their farming methods.
The land suffers from many human activities which degrade the environment. These activities include uncontrolled sand winds, bushfires and unbridled felling of trees for fuel, timber, and clearcutting land for farming.
With the support of FLEET FEET SPORTS STORES in collaboration with MORE FOUNDATION GROUP, one hundred thousand (100,000) mixed trees have been germinated in FLEET FEET SPORTS nurseries. These trees will generate many millions of dollars in goods. Profit centers in short, medium and the long term generated through food, fodder, fiber, medicine, bio-char, fuel wood, beekeeping, timber, windbreak and regenerating families’ farmland create biodiversity and sustainability.
In conclusion, MORE trees help stabilize climate, create jobs, build natural resources and create a much better quality of life for all.
THANKS TO FLEET FEET SPORTS STORES
- MORE GHANA staff.
Katlyn Gagnier, Fleet Feet Sports Knoxville