Soh helping students as they try out their new school shoes. Photo: Abaro
School shoes – a basic necessity in a student’s daily academic life – are something that many of us take for granted. But in some Orang Asli and B40 communities, schoolchildren often go barefoot, while in others, they wear shoes that are torn and have holes in them. School shoes are something that they can’t afford, reveals Abaro chief operating officer Kevin Soh.
It is with this in mind that the Malaysian homegrown shoe manufacturer first started its longterm initiative “Shoes for You, Hopes for Them” campaign in 2016.
Since then, Abaro has donated over 200,000 pairs of shoes through strategic collaborations, either with partners, or using their own funds, he says.
One of these partners Senheng Electric (KL)’s marketing and communications vice president Tai Tze Yen says: “We were glad to collaborate with Abaro for the “Shoes For You, Hopes For Them” initiative in 2023. Their commitment has made a real difference, giving these students a sense of hope and determination for a brighter future, and it’s heartwarming to see the joy on the faces of these young ones.”
For 2023 and 2024, the shoe manufacturer wanted to encourage members of the public to be part of the effort to provide shoes to B40 and Orang Asli students through its three-month Back-to-School campaign which ran from Dec 17, 2023 to Mar 18, 2024.
During this period, for every pair of school shoes purchased, the company donated RM1 to the cause, and managed to raise enough funds for 1,000 pairs of shoes for B40 and Orang Asli students.
“We are pleased that this effort will impact the lives of 1,000 students from these communities. The distribution of school shoes to these 1,000 students will be conducted in stages,” says Soh, adding that the company will personally distribute the 1,000 pairs of shoes to the deserving students.
Soh says that school shoes are a basic necessity that protect students' feet from injury and getting wet, especially in a tropical country like Malaysia with over 200 rainy days each year. Photo: Abaro
“As our company is located in Klang, we aim to start by supporting schools in our local area, beginning with two primary schools in Klang and one serving the Orang Asli community in Jenjarom.
“However, we plan to extend our contribution to other schools in the Klang Valley region later this year,” he says.
“We’re working closely with the Malaysian Public Works Department (JKR) and the Department of Orang Asli Development (Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli), as well as the Persatuan Ibu Bapa Guru (PIBG) group, for this,” he adds.
“The first phase of the distribution will be done in July 2024 to 300 students, and the rest will be done in the second half of the year, in stages.
We target to complete distributing all 1,000 pairs of shoes by end of the year,” says Soh.
He expresses his gratitude for the support received from customers which enabled the company to address the urgent need of underprivileged students, as well as to foster a strong sense of community and social responsibility.
Soh concludes that “such collective efforts can be a powerful force for positive change in society” and he encourages more corporations and organisations to collaborate with them in the initiative for an even greater and more sustainable impact on underprivileged students in Malaysia.
