( ENSPIRE Community Spotlight) Kerry Korentang Collects and Donates Shoes for Children in Underprivileged Communities in Ghana
ENSPRIE Contributor: Bella Rothman
Amid things in rural parts of Ghana, one absent essential stuck out to 11-year-old Kerry Korentang. While visiting with his family, he noticed 90% of the children walking to school with no shoes. She learned caregivers in these areas couldn’t afford shoes for their children which inspired Kerry to create the Kerry K Foundation. She has since been working to collect donations of shoes and grow the foundation to supply Ghana communities with necessities and global awareness.
Kerry has always been an active member of her community. She volunteers whenever an opportunity presents itself and if it doesn’t- she creates one. When visiting Ghana, Kerry explains seeing the children barefoot was shocking. She recalls seeing one of the children lose their toenails while playing a game and being saddened that these conditions were normal. When she returned home, she used social media, flyers, and word of mouth to spread the message about her new foundation.
The Kerry K Foundation has collected 948 pairs of shoes since it was first established and has already shipped 400 to Ghana. Shoes can be shipped and donated to 7536 N Bell Ave, Chicago Il,60645, or can be picked up by Kerry and her team if the donation is from the Chicago area.
Kerry has also created several other ways to donate to her cause through her website. She has created her own line of lip balm called Kerrykkosmetics where proceeds go towards funding shoes and shipments. Her products are vegan, organic, handmade, and all to further her mission. The website Go Fund Me is specifically for the cost of international shipping expenses to maximize the number of shoes she can send. Her mission statement, contact information, and shoe count are all linked and explained on her site.
Kerry’s passion for giving back has already successfully bloomed into international work. She plans to continue to collect and donate shoes to underprivileged countries and hopes to shine further light on overwhelming amounts of child labor in these areas. Her drive and commitment to helping communities locally and globally give great hope for the future of her foundation and her mission in Ghana.
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