It was then that the idea for ‘The Shoe That Grows’ began to form. “I thought, wouldn’t it be nice for them to have shoes that could adjust and expand?” Lee told Christian Today. “That was the spark.”
A few years later, in 2006, Lee and a team of friends founded Because International, a non-profit organisation dedicated to “working with and helping those in extreme poverty”. They designed a shoe made of soft leather on top, and durable rubber soles to withstand rough terrain and child’s play. They come in two sizes, small and large, which each expand using a system of buckles and snaps to grow five sizes, meaning one pair can last a child several years.
The team don’t distribute the shoes themselves, but instead partner with churches, mission groups and those already working with poor children. Anyone can buy a pair for $10 and help fill a duffle bag to give away to organisations such as the Haiti Evangelical Mission and Expansion International in Kenya. Having gained publicity in recent weeks, however, Lee says he’s received emails from people all over the world wanting to partner with him, and an online fundraiser has now reached over $98,000 – far exceeding the original $50,000 target. “If people feel like our shoes would make sense where they’re working, then we love connecting with them,” he says.