Kenton Lee was not a designer and knew nothing about the fashion industry. He was just a regular guy who saw how kids in Kenya were struggling because they had no shoes. Some of the kids were just running around barefoot. Others were wearing shoes that were too small for them -- with the toes cut open. And still others were wearing cardboard scraps on their feet.
Kenton saw the problem and wanted to help, so he came up with an idea – The Shoe That Grows.
The simple invention is pretty much a sandal that adjusts as the kids grow. While some kids can outgrow their shoes in a year, The Shoe That Grows can grow five sizes and can last five years.
Kenton wanted a shoe that lasted as long as possible, so he made his with high-quality leather and compressed rubber on the bottom, kind of like a rubber tire.
Thanks to his design and hard work, 200,000 of these very special shoes have been shipped to over 100 countries around the world.
While Kenton has affected many families all around the world, he knows his work isn’t done. He points out that there are 300 million children living in developing countries who don’t have any shoes.
So, he will continue to manufacture and deliver as many of his special shoes in the years to come to impact even more families.