The Soul Shoe Project

Stop the Silence. Create Noise. Make Shoes for a Child.

A child is killed by violence every five minutes in the world.

Stop the Silence. Engage. Think. Change.

Walk in their shoes. Think. Kids. Shoes. Make.

Find a shoe in a closet, at a resale shop or a lost shoe at a park. Gather markers, paint, lace, toys, plants, puzzles, candy, & everyday items. Take 15 minutes or 15 hours. Think about our kids. Make a shoe statement. Send us your photo. We will collect and document the shoes. If we can make enough shoes, we can make enough difference. Stop the Silence. Make a shoe. Every shoe made means 1 more person in the world cares.

All over the globe, children are experiencing unspeakable violence. Millions are in danger. On city streets, in communities, schools and homes, children are attacked, exploited, abused and killed.

2015 can be the year of change. In September, world leaders will agree new global goals that will guide the development of our planet for the next 15 years.

It is vital that these goals include a robust target to end abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence and torture against children, so that this becomes a priority for all countries. This will help deliver the action needed to prevent violence against children, to support survivors and ensure they get justice.

Learn more

The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most rapidly and widely ratified international human rights treaty in history.

The Convention changed the way children are viewed and treated – i.e., as human beings with a distinct set of rights instead of as passive objects of care and charity.

The unprecedented acceptance of the Convention clearly shows a wide global commitment to advancing children’s rights.

There is much to celebrate as we mark the 25th anniversary of the Convention, from declining infant mortality to rising school enrolment, but this historic milestone must also serve as an urgent reminder that much remains to be done. Too many children still do not enjoy their full rights on par with their peers.

Business as usual is not enough to make the vision of the Convention a reality for all children. The world needs new ideas and approaches, and the Convention must become a guiding document for every human being in every nation.

Read Convention history on the CRC @ 20

You don’t need to be an artist. You need to be you. You just need to think about the child that is killed every 5 minutes from violence. We all need to think about them. Make a shoe for them. Help us stop the silence. Help us show the world the shoes.

Need ideas? Just think about the kids you know. Think about yourself as a child. Think about the children killed. Think about their mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers. Imagine if the children close to you died a violent death. Giggle. Shed a quiet tear. Smile upon them. Stop the Silence. Take a shoe and express yourself. Find a shoe and think of a child.

Take a quick Google search for “art made from shoes” and you’ll find ideas like these.