Crocs in Malawi

What a great idea and the PERFECT shoe for Malawians, esp. in the rainy season (which is now). Most of the kids I met didn't have shoes. You can really appreciate their need when you see how they dress, all decked out in Sunday school hand-me-downs from somewhere in the states. Girls wear pretty communion dresses and boys with suit vests to cover their pajama tops.

Remember this guy?


It's the stuff we give to charity. It goes somewhere afterall. And it's all they've got. Here's the story -


Wendy Donahue
February 10, 2008

Old Crocs get new life in Malawi

The unofficial favorite footwear of kids (and many adults), Crocs now can escape the landfill when feet outgrow or overwork them.

Crocs has launched a recycling program called Soles United with a goal of collecting more than 2 million donated pairs of the cloglike resin shoes in 2008. They'll be ground into new material and remanufactured to provide some people around the world with their first-ever pair of shoes.

More than 1 million pairs already have been donated through the program. Last fall 20,000 pairs were sent to Raising Malawi, co-founded by Madonna and author Michael Berg to help children in the African country.

Consumers can donate Crocs (sorry, no knockoffs) at participating retailers, or send them to Crocs' collection centers. Check solesunited.com for details.