Al-Qalam 
By Al-Qalam Reporter
Shoes for Al Baraka Bank is helping change the lives of school pupils in South Africa – one pair of shoes at a time.
The Islamic bank has started its annual school shoes drive, restoring pride, dignity and comfort by contributing towards assisting more than 400 of the country’s most vulnerable learners in Durban, Gauteng and Cape Town.
The shoe campaign provides them with brand new school shoes. The bank saw the need to make a difference as there are many impoverished pupils who go to school bare-soled because they are unable to afford shoes.
In KwaZulu-Natal, the bank has contributed towards providing new school shoes to 132 deprived learners at Durban’s Cottonlands Primary School in Verulam, and Hillview Primary School in Reservoir Hills.
The Gauteng and Cape Town elements of the Bank’s 2023 shoe drive initiative resulted in 130 learners at two schools in Lenasia, namely the Baitun Noor Centre and Bilal Combined School, and 140 learners at a further two Cape Town schools, Primary School in Malmesbury and Saambou Primary School in Heideveld, receiving brand new school shoes.
The Bank’s Sustainability and Social Responsibility Officer, Fathima Mohamed, said: “Our annual shoe drive will protect disadvantaged children’s feet from this country’s unforgiving environment. For so many of us, we take the purchase and wearing of shoes for granted but, unfortunately, for lots of children, this is a privilege.”
She added that sadly the reality in South Africa is that millions still live in poverty, leaving many thousands of historically disadvantaged learners no alternative but to attend school barefoot, risking injury, infection and, worse, ridicule by their peers.
“Many learners in our schools, especially rural schools go to school without footwear because their parents or caregivers simply cannot afford such an outlay,” said Mohamed.
The Bank’s annual school shoe drive complements other charitable initiatives designed to put shoes on the feet of destitute youngsters.
“The lack of school shoes can have a detrimental effect on learning. Many rurally based learners must traverse rough terrain walking to school and others stay away from school in the Winter months because of the cold chilling their bare feet, whilst many feel inadequate in front of their shoe-shod peers, or are bullied, resulting in them being unable to properly concentrate on their lessons,” said Mohamed.
She said Al Baraka Bank recognises this and was intent on ensuring that it contributes towards learners from disadvantaged backgrounds being afforded the opportunity to realise their full scholarly potential. “For so many of our country’s learners, owning a pair of shoes is just a dream. We believe the simple gesture of providing shoes can help change the lives of the destitute and Al Baraka Bank therefore remains committed to contributing towards turning those dreams into reality,” said Mohamed.
