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【Translator：Siou-Yao Han】

【Promotion of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) series】

2023-10-24 The Center for Teaching and Learning Development at the National University of Kaohsiung recently invited Kara, the "Shoes for Life" project promoter, to share her and her husband Yu-Jen Yang's experience in promoting the collection of shoes for Africa. This project aims to improve the quality of life for residents and reduce the suffering caused by diseases transmitted by jiggers. NUK wants to inspire students to embrace the concepts of social engagement and enthusiastic service through this sharing.

President Yueh-Tuan Chen of the National University of Kaohsiung (NUK) commends Yu-Jen Yang and Kara for their selfless dedication to social engagement, which aligns with the university's commitment to realizing higher education's values and social responsibilities. By facilitating the sharing of experiences from professionals in various fields, this initiative encourages students to contemplate and practice what they have learned.

The lecture event is one of the modules planned by the Center for Teaching and Learning Development as part of the "The Goal of University Education" course. It is primarily designed for first-year students to explore and understand the differences in lifestyles across different countries and regions. Furthermore, it aims to provide a more concrete understanding of the practical cases related to "SDGs" (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals) such as Goal 1 (No Poverty), Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).

Yu-Jen Yang is Taiwanese, while Kara is from Canada. The two met at a church and eventually got married. Kara's father was a missionary and often shared with her his experiences and observations from missionary work in Africa, particularly in countries like Kenya. He highlighted the economic struggles of many citizens who couldn't afford shoes, resulting in prolonged barefoot walking. This, in turn, led to infestations and erosion from sand flea bites, causing painful ulcers on their feet and even claiming the lives of children.

Motivated by this, the couple initiated the "Step 30: Shoes for Life" campaign in 2014, collecting tens of thousands of second-hand shoes from the Taiwanese public and sending them to Africa. In doing so, they made efficient use of resources and small but meaningful changes to the destinies of African children.

Kara mentioned that the team started by organizing old shoes and managing the warehouse, now gradually working their way up to have multiple shipments of containers, delivering shoes to the hands of African children. This process spurred the couple to ponder, "What more can we do?" Thus, in collaboration with church partners, they embarked on journeys with their entire family to various locations. In addition to continuing the "Shoes for Life" project, they began initiatives in Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These efforts included community healthcare, school construction, and establishing community workshops in collaboration with local tribal elders.

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#SDG1 #SDG3 #SDG6