Born on a mission trip to South Africa in August of 2007, the vision of Global Soles was conceived by Rotimi Akinnuoye, while visiting the country  with Emmanuel Baptist Church of Brooklyn, New York (Rev. Anthony L. Trufant, Senior Pastor). While in South Africa touring various missionary sites, Akinnuoye noticed the vast amount of children running, playing and walking around in the middle of winter with no shoes on their feet. Akinnuoye along with his fellow missionaries and board members Oluwakemi Sosanya, Sharen Milner, Christopher Green, Monte Chandler and Marilyn Bien-Aime decided to meet the need of providing shoes for the children and adults in South Africa. It was then that he discussed with the team the need and desire to form Global Soles. "The images that I saw touched my soul," says Akinnuoye. "Immediately the vision was ignited and it became apparent that a non-profit foundation be formed." South Africa will be the inaugural initiative, but the goal for Global Soles is to expand to Ghana, Nigeria, Haiti, Jamaica, Guyana, and other rural impoverished territories (pictured above: board members in South Africa - 2007). |
We live in the United States, a country where shoes are taken for granted. In many parts of South Africa sneakers are considered a luxury. "We are looking for quality, moderately  priced footwear, but not necessarily brand name," says Vice President Oluwakemi Sosanya. "The children and adults living in the shanty towns of South Africa walk barefoot on rocky, dirt roads exposing their feet to rusty metals and glass, urine, feces and various bacteria which could lead to acute infection including gangrene and/or amputations." Global Soles is requesting footwear for boys and girls, ages 3 to 18 years old, including sneakers and black dress shoes for school and church. The women of these townships are burdened with the responsibility of caring for their children, husbands and communities through various tasks which include washing clothes by hand outside in the winter while living in substandard shanty's with no heat or insulation; the majority of these women are also HIV positive. We are looking for comfortable rubber sole shoes for adult women and men.
Global Soles will solicit footwear and monetary contributions from individuals, groups, churches, faith-based organizations, non-profits, sororities, corporations, community groups, and educational institutions. Global Soles has 501(c)3 status pending with the IRS.
On August 9, 2008, board members of Global Soles will arrive in Johannesburg and visit various townships in Soweto to deliver the variety of footwear to children and adults. All footwear should be received no later than July 15, 2008. Please ship product donations to: Self Storage America c/o Rotimi Akinnuoye, 45 Clinton Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11205. In an effort to assist with the shipping costs, we are requesting monetary donations. For monetary contributions all checks should be made out to: Global Soles, Inc. and mailed to Rotimi Akinnuoye, 248 Clifton Place, Brooklyn, NY 11216.
Global Soles board members include Rotimi Akinnuoye (President, Entrepreneur), Oluwakemi Sosanya, NP (Vice President, Associate Medical Director), Monte Chandler, Esq. (Director of Operations, Attorney), Marilyn Bien-Aime, NP (Treasurer, Nurse Practitioner), Sharen Milner (Acting Secretary, Entrepreneur), Christopher Green (Officer, Entrepreneur).
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