Sole Hope is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing shoes, medical care, and restoring dignity and hope for children in Uganda. The organization’s mission is to “equip the vulnerable to walk in freedom from life-threatening diseases and exploitation through education, empowerment, and medical relief.”
The Devastating Impact of Jiggers
Sole Hope was founded after Drü Collie and his wife discovered the devastating impact of jiggers, a parasitic infection impacting children in Uganda, through a YouTube video. The organization focuses on combating this neglected tropical disease in Uganda, where it is often stigmatized as witchcraft.
Jiggers are tiny sand fleas that burrow into bare feet, causing extreme pain, infection, and social isolation. For many, they steal the chance to walk, learn, and live with dignity. This crisis is preventable, and the solution is simple: shoes, medical care, and education.
Like many other problems and diseases, the ignorance around jiggers is a huge hurdle in the battle. Education will be key to keeping children and families jigger-free. Therefore, Sole Hope is taking action, with each child receiving individual education before they leave our clinics.
The Story of Joy
Drü shares the story of Joy, a 10-year-old girl who was severely affected by jiggers. Joy was initially nicknamed “Little Duck” due to her abnormal walk caused by over 720 jiggers in her body. After receiving treatment at the Hope Center, Joy’s physical and mental condition improved dramatically within a week. Her transformation not only changed her life but also impacted her village’s perception of the jiggers problem, demonstrating the effectiveness of their intervention in combating this treatable disease.
Read also: Therapy for Ugandan Children
Sole Hope's Work in Uganda
Drü and his family moved to Uganda for six years to establish the organization, and the organization is now based in Nashville, Tennessee, with a team of employees working directly in Uganda. Drü explains the process of Sole Hope’s work in Uganda, which involves weekly village visits to wash children’s feet, remove jiggers, provide education, and distribute shoes.
Every Thursday, Sole Hope hosts a community clinic in places where jiggers have been found prevalent. As an Advocate for Sole Hope, much of my focus is on raising awareness of projects affecting men, women, and children suffering from jiggers.
Jiggers Killing children & elderly in Uganda
The organization employs 48 Ugandans, including tailors and shoemakers, who create shoes from recycled denim sent from America. Drü emphasizes the importance of providing shoes, as it helps keep children in school, protects them from parasites and injuries, and addresses the stigma associated with jiggers. The organization has distributed over 370,000 pairs of shoes and operates a residential facility for severe cases.
Each week in Uganda, our team removes jiggers, treats wounds, washes feet, and fits children with shoes made from recycled tires. Our dedicated team travels to schools throughout the region on a weekly basis. We visit classrooms to educate children about jiggers and how to prevent them.
Sole Hope's strategic partnerships with government hospitals, doctors, and nurses enable us to extend our reach and provide vital assistance to jigger-infested communities. Through these collaborations, we address the challenges faced by affected individuals, ensuring they receive prompt and effective treatment. Our process begins with community mobilizers and Village Health Teams (VHTs) identifying and engaging communities. Through comprehensive sensitization programs, we raise awareness about jiggers and the importance of seeking medical help.
Read also: Transforming Zambian communities
Once individuals are identified, they are referred to established clinics within different hospitals for specialized care, including jigger removal procedures performed by skilled nurses.
The organization’s mission is to “equip the vulnerable to walk in freedom from life-threatening diseases and exploitation through education, empowerment, and medical relief.”
Sole Hope's Vision and Core Values
OUR VISION
We believe in a world where no one suffers from preventable foot diseases. We envision a future where everyone in East Africa has the knowledge and resources to protect themselves from jiggers and live healthier lives.
CORE VALUES
Read also: Ethiopian Broadcasting
- Accountability: We hold ourselves accountable to the communities we serve, our partners, donors, and each other. We take responsibility for our actions and ensure we deliver on our commitments.
- Courage: We embrace innovation, take calculated risks, and lead by example. We are not afraid to explore new avenues and push boundaries to create lasting change.
- Empowerment: We believe in empowering citizens, families, and local institutions. Providing opportunities, education, and resources enables individuals and communities to uplift themselves and take control of their futures.
- Partnership: Collaboration is at the heart of our work. We foster partnerships on the ground, engage with other organizations, and work closely with all levels of government. Together, we can make a more significant impact and drive sustainable change.
- Transparency: We are transparent in everything we do. We openly share our actions, costs, and outcomes, ensuring that our stakeholders have access to reliable information. Transparency builds trust and fosters effective communication.
WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO
At Sole Hope, we believe the Good News of Jesus is more than words. It is a way of life. Jesus didn’t just preach hope. He washed feet. He welcomed the least, the last, and the lost. He brought healing to the broken.
That is the heart behind Sole Hope.
We are not registered as a religious organization, and we do not distribute tracts in Uganda. But our faith shapes everything we do. We love Jesus, and we strive to serve others the way He did. Every act of compassion, every wound cleaned, and every child seen is a reflection of His love.
Prayer guides our decisions. People are the priority. Love is the mission.
Join us in bringing healing and hope in Jesus’ name. One child. One step. CHOOSE HOPE. TAKE ACTION.
How You Can Help
Drü discusses Sole Hope’s expansion into mental health and addiction treatment, as they’ve found that many of their patients in Uganda face non-physical challenges due to poverty. He explains various ways the community can support their efforts, including a $10 monthly donation program and participating in shoe-cutting parties, which are being relaunched as team-building events for businesses. Drü emphasizes the importance of taking action when seeing a problem and shares how this journey has transformed his family’s perspective on life and making a difference.
Drü wraps up highlighting the ways the community can support their efforts through financial contributions, Shoe Cutting Parties, Team Building Experiences, or visiting Uganda to see the impact firsthand.
You can be part of this story. One pair of shoes. One child.
Volunteers around the world began gathering to cut shoe patterns from old jeans and send them to Uganda. These events became a simple yet powerful way for people everywhere to participate in healing work.
Hello family and friends,This month Zach and I are hosting a Sole Hope Shoe Cutting Event, and we need YOUR help reaching our goal of 200 shoes. CUNA Mutual, Patcraft and IIDA Wisconsin are teaming up to offer an opportunity to help through a group called SoleHope.
As an Advocate for Sole Hope, much of my focus is on raising awareness of projects affecting men, women, and children suffering from jiggers.
For the summer of 2020, I will be spending two months in Uganda interning with Sole Hope, a non-profit organization based out of Jinja, Uganda.
We invite you to journey with us to Uganda to see firsthand the work being done.
Every gift matters. That gift sent our team to Paul’s village. We washed his feet, removed every jigger, gave him new shoes, and helped him heal.
Now Paul is walking again. He’s back in school.
Impacting Lives and Communities
SOLE HOPE is making an impact one vulnerable person at a time by holding medical clinics, providing education, and jobs for and with the beautiful souls in Uganda.
This experience will give you opportunities to learn, serve, connect, and fall in love with Uganda and its people.
Today, Sole Hope operates from a dedicated center in Jinja, Uganda. Our Ugandan team comprises nurses, social workers, educators, tailors, and more-all working together to bring about lasting change in individuals and communities.
What began as a response to a heartbreaking need quickly grew into a mission to bring healing, hope, and opportunity. A visit to Uganda revealed the harsh reality of jigger infestations. Seeing children in pain and witnessing the removal process firsthand deepened our commitment. We knew we had to do more.
Popular articles:
tags: #Uganda
