THE CONTEXT

School-going children in many government schools are greatly disadvantaged when they go to school. They walk long distances barefoot, they do not have a proper school bag, and they sit on the floor. All this leads to poor attendance, health issues, and a lack of interest in studies (as their sitting posture itself is very uncomfortable).

THE SOLUTION:

The Mumbai-based NGO Greensole has developed a unique back-to-school kit that has:-

1. Footwear (No more barefoot walking)

2. Study Mat (Makes it comfortable to sit at school for long hours)

3. School Bag (Ergonomically designed and colorful) 

The back-to-school kit contains a pair of recycled footwear, a soft study mat to sit comfortably on the bare ground and attend classes, and a school bag to carry all their books and stationery. This dramatically changed a student's attitude to school and studies. It improves attendance, focuses at school, and helps them fall in love with education. It also eliminates both foot-related diseases and improves the child's posture, decreases strain on the eyes, and reduces stress on the neck and back.

EACH BACK-TO-SCHOOL KIT COSTS JUST INR 950.

PIC: The items that will be included in the back-to-school kit.

These elements are made from recycled material. For example, the sole from old footwear (which would be burnt or thrown into a landfill) is turned into new footwear. Old clothes are used to make the bags and mats. This is very environmentally friendly. Greensole also provides employment to women in their manufacturing unit.

PIC: The students with the contents of the back-to-school kit.

UPCYCLED ITEMS:

Upcycling refers to using end-of-life materials to make a new product with added value. That is to say, we reuse a product that is no longer used, or that can no longer be used, and turn it into a useful product.

This type of recycling has a positive impact on the environment since it defers and reduces the amount of waste in a landfill. In addition, the material is not processed like in downcycling, instead, it is cut, folded, molded, etc., into a new product. 

WHAT GOES INTO THE KIT AND BENEFICIARY INFORMATION:

PIC: The facade of the school and students from the Government Primary school in rural Karnataka.

BENEFICIARY INFO : FIRST LIST OF SCHOOLS IN MANDYA DISTRICT THAT WILL BENEFIT

THE IMPACT:

ABOUT ME:

Hi, I’m Harsha, and I truly believe that even small actions can create a big impact.

I have always felt that we, as children, are not too young to make a difference. I care deeply about the environment and about helping other children who may not have the same opportunities that I do. That’s why i decided to help out this NGO called “Green Sole”.

GreenSole collects discarded shoes, refurbishes them, and distributes them to underprivileged children across India. Many children walk long distances to school without proper footwear, and by providing comfortable, durable shoes, we are protecting their feet and supporting their education and confidence. Green Sole not only refurbishes shoes but also go beyond and make school bags and mats. This kit helps students not only keep them safe from unwanted things stuck onto their feet, but also have a bag to carry all their books and have mats to sit on so they don’t get spinal problems. 9/10 students have spinal problems due to their posture while sitting on the ground as the sound is uncomfortable. We provide mats to fix their posture and feel comfortable while sitting on the ground.

It costs only ₹950 per kit to refurbish and provide a pair of shoes, a school bag and a mat to one child. Just ₹950 can go a long way by helping a child attend school comfortably while also reducing waste and protecting our planet.

To support this cause, I have started a crowdfunding campaign on Fuel a dream. Through this platform, I am raising funds to help recycle and distribute shoes, bags, and mats to children who are underprivileged and need them.

One small step from us can become a giant leap in a child’s life.

Thank you!

PREVIOUS DISTRIBUTION DRIVES:

PIC: The distribution of Back-To-School kits in a school in rural Telangana.

PIC: The students of Govt Primary School, Palwal, Haryana received the back-to-school kits from the students of a school who took part in a crowdfunding campaign like this and raised funds.

OUR PARTNER

Greensole Origins :

As athletes, the founders of Greensole, Shriyans Bhandari, and Ramesh Dhami ran hundreds of kilometers every year. They also ran through at least 3 to 4 pairs of sports shoes every year. The soles were in good condition but the shoe sides tore within months. The duo always wondered if they could find some use for the intact soles of these quality sports shoes. A bit of research led to the idea of refurbishing them into trendy slippers. That brainwave eventually spawned an eco-friendly enterprise that reuses shoe soles and is appropriately named Greensole. Greensole used to previously only recycle shoes but now they also give back-to-school kits to rural students which include upcycled footwear, study mats, and school bags.

MAP SHOWING AREAS WHERE RURAL STUDENTS WILL BENEFIT IN KARNATAKA:

TAX BENEFITS:

Funding for this campaign is eligible for tax breaks as the NGO, Greensole is a registered trust and you can avail of benefits under section 80G of the IT Act. Foreign funding is NOT accepted.

FEEDBACK THAT YOU GET:

To ensure that there is complete transparency, I shall get a report from the NGO (this takes between 1 to 3 months, usually after the funds are raised and transferred to them) telling me who benefitted from the funding. The details will then be posted in the UPDATES section of my campaign. As soon as I post an update, the platform will send an EMAIL alert to all the funders - i.e., to you. Click on the link in the email, and you can read about who benefitted. That's transparent, right?

The image below is an example of the FEEDBACK FORMAT that will be shared.