MrBeast has given 20,000 kids in Africa their first pair of shoes.
The YouTuber posted a philanthropic video, sharing that he - well his sponsor, Lectric eBikes - donated a hefty amount of footwear so that children could walk to school in the morning.
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In the video, he told viewers: “Because of the extreme poverty in rural towns, walking to school barefoot is the only option, which means they have to walk through miles over harsh terrain, broken glass and contaminated water.”
MrBeast revealed his team flew out to South Africa, where he sought out a charity called Barefoot No More.
Barefoot No More creates footwear designed with innovative materials, making them durable and comfortable.
According to the influencer, they’re the ‘perfect seamless shoe’.
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His team flew to Cape Town to find the children most desperate for help.
They met two junior school teachers in a rural village, Gabriella and Roswell.
Roswell said that one of the biggest challenges regarding education is actually ‘getting the kids to school’, while Gabriella noted that her students have to ‘walk miles’ each day.
“It can be a struggle with all the thorns and needles [on the ground]; I wouldn’t go to school. I can be a great teacher, but I can’t be a teacher to nobody,” Roswell said.
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MrBeast shared that once the shoes had landed, they were sent to nine different schools across the region.
And once word got out that sneakers were up for grabs, the schools were ‘completely packed’ with eager children waiting to snag a pair.
“To witness these kids wearing their first-ever pairs of shoes was really emotional and again, a realisation of the basic needs that most of us take for granted,” MrBeast said.
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Gabriella added: “For most people, this is very hard to understand, for using something as simple as a pair of school shoes to change my learners' lives for the better.”
Rowsell also shared that upon seeing their new sneakers, you would’ve thought these children would have been gifted an Xbox or PlayStation.
“What you have done here at my school is absolutely amazing,” he said.
According to the Harvard Human Rights Program, it was recorded in 2015 that many students in rural South Africa have to walk more than 20 kilometres every day to get to and from school.
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“They cross rugged mountains and flooded rivers. They navigate dangerous highways and treacherous weather. They face physical injury and emotional harm,” they added.
If you would like to donate to Barefoot No More, make sure you head here.
Featured Image Credit: Beast Philanthropy/YouTubeTopics: News, World News, Education, Charity