‘WITH A PAIR OF UGANDAN SHOES, WE WILL HELP MANY SHOEMAKERS TO TAKE A STEP FORWARD!’

Julius Emwogu, Apex Leather Works, Uganda

Many people in Uganda live in poverty. This means that most of the time there is only just enough money for food and drinks. To provide all family members with clothing and shoes as well is often impossible. Many children walk around on cheap sandals or sometimes even barefoot. This is something Apex Leather Works in Uganda wants to change. This social organisation has committed itself to making high quality footwear affordable for the poorest of the poor.

The experiences of Julius Emwogu, founder of Apex, form the basis for this: “As a child I used to walk 8 kilometres to and from school every day. We were so poor that there was no money for shoes. So I walked barefoot, causing my feet to be painfully torn. I was often bullied for that.” It inspired Julius to found Apex at a later age. So that the young people of today do not have to endure what he has been through.

Training courses for young shoemakers

Julius wants his organisation to offer as many opportunities as possible to the local population: ‘Many of the shoes that are available in Uganda are imported. However, we would like to produce locally, offering opportunities to for example local suppliers. By sourcing the hides and skins we need to make our products as much as possible from them. But also by offering young people the chance to be trained as a shoemaker. For example by hands-on training that lasts about 8 months. After completing the course, the student has learned enough skills to make simple products such as sandals. Over the past few years, Apex has trained some 40 young people to become shoemakers. Some of them have started their own successful businesses, and some of them are working at Apex itself.

There is sufficient demand for the products that Apex makes. However, the organisation does not have the necessary resources to expand. That is why they have asked Gered Gereedschap for help. Julius: ´The requested tools and machines will enable us to train even more young people. We can bring back trainees who have been trained in the past; their knowledge and experience can be refreshed. And there is still room to help even more shoemakers get to work. This will enable us to provide even more poor young people with good footwear!

Get involved!

Will you help Julius Emwogu and the people of Apex Leather Works to train more young people to become shoemakers? Then support this project! A total of € 4,833 is needed. Every donation is most welcome. For 25 euros we can already supply a set of tools. You can submit your donation via iDEAL on our website: www.geredgereedschap.nl

Also on behalf of Julius Emwogu thanks in advance for your help!