Put Foot Rally Day 8: Shoe Drop at Senkobo Basic School, Zambia

Senkobo Basic School, just outside Livingstone, Zambia
Distance: 25 kilometres

We’re 12 days in and the Put Foot Rally 2012 has been fun by the bucket load. Perhaps what you’ve not seen that much of, however, is what’s going on behind the scenes. I use ‘behind the scenes’ loosely – in fact it’s not the right term at all. What’s happening ‘behind the scenes’ is the sharing of a mindset that’s become so pervasive that it seems ordinary to those that are involved … which is kind of extraordinary. I’ll explain; every crew that signed up for the Put Foot Rally was motivated by a common goal: to make a difference. Sure, the cliché reeks of impotent megalomania and effervescent commitment … we can blame Hollywood for that. What’s happening on the Put Foot Rally is beyond that. It’s about real people making a real, palpable impact because they want to, no matter where they are on the journey. The Put Foot Foundation Shoe Drop at Senkobo Basic School on day eight of the rally was the the fulcrum of this. Their aim is simple: to change young lives through a single pair of brand new school shoes (Here’s more about how Put Foot Rally charity works).

The Put Foot Rally convoy left in the morning from The Waterfront Lodge in Livingstone, ready to hand out 405 pairs of school shoes to learners at Senkobo Basic School for The Put Foot Foundation. Despite the heat, the turnout was immense, as was the reception as the cars rolled in. It’s an incredibly humbling experience to be surrounded by people who are genuinely appreciative and even more difficult not to float off on a cloud of self-righteousness, but I suppose that’s just the dichotomy of giving.

After some formalities, including a televised recording, a talk by the headmaster as well as Zambia’s Minister of Education, rally crews split into groups, some sized up feet and some fitted shoes while others painted classrooms and kept learners entertained.

Teams worked tirelessly and spent the day fitting school shoes, repairing facilities as well as taking time to speak to learners, find out about their culture and even join them in some activities.

Perhaps it’s because I’m really close to it, but the vision – to put shoes on the millions of children in Southern Africa that do not have them – seems as simple and fitting as it is gratifying. We’re on the last week of the rally now and the vibe is still immense with teams still wanting to give out everything from soccer balls to stationary packs. And like I said in my post from Day 5, while handing out a pair of school shoes or a soccer ball may seem like a small gesture, handing out 405 of them goes a long way …