Creating sustainable employment and assisting orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa

Soul of Africa is a self-sustainable charity initiative that helps unemployed women and families affected by AIDS in South Africa. Its aim is to raise funds and create employment through the sale of hand-stitched shoes that are flexible, comfortable and uniquely stylish in their simple design. Soul of Africa gives meaningful employment to many women in some of the worst hit regions of South Africa, with profits from their sale going straight back into the communities they come from.

In 2004, Lance Clark joined Mike and Sarah Gedye (Froggie Shoes South Africa) to create a sustainable trade concept that would assist on two levels. Firstly, by training local community women to manufacture hand-stitched footwear, helping to build self reliance within the impoverished communities of KwaZulu Natal. Secondly, to use a percentage of the profits from the sale of this footwear to fund children affected by AIDS.

Soul of Africa is a project of true integrity, creating employment in South African communities where unemployment is high and prospects nil. This enables each Soul of Africa stitcher to earn money, together with the empowering ability to support themselves and their families. The last four years have seen real and direct progress. A percentage of the manufacturing profit from the sale of Soul of African products is reinvested through the Soul of Africa Trust, which funds projects designed to help orphans and vulnerable children affected by the AIDS in South Africa.

Since production started in 2004 over $1.2 million has been raised.*

SHOP SOUL OF AFRICA SHOES

Currently, there are in excess of two million children affected and orphaned by the AIDS pandemic in South Africa. As the people of South Africa continue to battle the many issues that surround this devastating virus, Soul of Africa is a unique way of fighting back.

Learn more about the Soul of Africa initiative at www.soulofafricacharity.org