For many Primary School learners in South Africa, the path to education begins with bare feet and big dreams.

In villages and towns outside of Metro districts, learners often go to school without shoes, walking long distances barefoot to reach their classroom.

For Gerald Nomlala, this was his reality - a childhood struggle, which motivated him to start the Kasi Angels Foundation.

Since its inception in 2018, Nomlala has ensured that 65,000 pairs of school shoes are on the feet of the learners who need them the most.

The foundation became a family affair when, in 2022, Nomlala’s son Qhama Jacobs became actively involved in the foundation and its outreach programmes.

The 23-year-old, who is a third-year LLB student at the University of Western Cape’s Law Faculty, aims to ensure that through his non-profit organisation, no learner goes to school barefoot.

“In law, we speak about equality and how everyone is equal before the law, and it should also be equality in our social settings, economically, and when it comes to healthcare. My studies have the same goals of social justice as Kasi Angels,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs and his dad believes that the shoes are more than just a donation. Picture: Supplied

Together the father and son duo crisscross’ the country, trying to change the reality for countless children who are often bullied for not having shoes.

Therefore, when they hand over a pair of school shoes, it’s more than just a donation; they tie the recipient’s laces.

“The aim of us tying the children’s shoelaces is partly because they have been ridiculed and not respected, but that moment of us handing over the shoes and tying their shoelaces is also us humbling ourselves as people who are more privileged.

“So we humble ourselves, go down on one knee, and tie the child’s shoelaces. At that moment, they feel respected, and they feel part of a community and as if they are deserving,” Jacobs said.

Qhama Jacobs. Picture: Shelley Christians/UWC

He added that it resets the children’s reality at school: “It strikes a chord because they are also there looking at the other kids who were ridiculing them, and now there is this older person who respects them and is down on one knee for them.”

Jacobs plays a vital role in the foundation's administration, logistics, fundraising and donation proposals.

With his sights also firmly set on completing his LLB, Jacobs wants to do his articles at a law firm while expanding the foundation's reach to include career guidance and social awareness for learners who otherwise would not have been assisted during their primary and high school years.

To donate to the Kasi Angels Foundation’s current campaign #1MillionPairscampaign, which aims at giving 1 million pairs of school shoes to learners, you can visit them on Facebook, their website, www.kasiangels.co.za, or email kasiangels@gmail.com.

Tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za

Weekend Argus