31/08/2026
From Community to Action: The Dignity Shoes Initiative Begins in Gatundu
3.6 PAIRS OF SHOES. THAT IS WHERE WE BEGIN.
When VAAKENYA closed its retail arm, we weren't closing VAAKENYA.
We were changing how we wanted to build.
After years of retail, we decided to move towards a community-driven model — working with communities, churches, chamas, schools, alumni, companies and local leaders.
And that journey led us to the Dignity Shoes Initiative.
We launched Dignity Shoes in Gatundu together with local leadership and community members, including Senior Patrick Muiru, Rev. Thomas Ndungu of Full Gospel Church Gatundu, Pastor Sarah Wainaina of Faith Ministry Gatundu, Dr. Daniel Wainaina and Mr. Mbote Waweru.
We read the proposal together.
We discussed the idea.
And then we started our first community action.
This time, we decided not to think about a Harambee simply as money.
We decided to think about it in shoes.
VAAKENYA's official business-to-community price is KES 2,500 per pair, regardless of shoe size.
Our first Harambee therefore translates into:
KES 1,000 = 0.4 shoes
KES 8,000 pledged = 3.2 shoes
TOTAL = 3.6 pairs
That's right.
3.6 pairs of shoes.
Our pilot school, Gatundu Primary, has approximately 1,365 learners.
So we have a long way to go.
But this is exactly how community building works.
Someone starts.
Someone joins.
Someone contributes.
Someone mobilises.
And slowly, something that seemed impossible begins to move.
Our goal is to get 1,365 Kenyan-made Dignity Shoes to the children of Gatundu Primary through community action.
But the bigger goal is to show what communities can do when we organise ourselves around production, not only crisis.
The Dignity Shoes proposal calls this a Leather Harambee — using our Kenyan tradition of coming together to create demand for Kenyan-made leather shoes and strengthen the leather industry.
Because every pair connects us to a much bigger chain of Kenyan livelihoods.
Every pair creates demand.
Every pair tells a manufacturer: keep building.
Every pair tells an artisan: your skill matters.
Every pair tells a young person: there is an industry here to explore.
And every pair tells a community:
We can build together.
We have also been reflecting on what it means to be a pioneer.
A recent Substack we read on The Rise and Fall of Empires describes the Age of Pioneers through qualities such as courage, enterprise, experimentation and overcoming obstacles.
We think those qualities matter for Africa today.
We need young people who are willing to build.
To experiment.
To create.
To manufacture.
To organise.
To solve problems.
To build businesses and industries.
Builders in Africa must embody the spirit of building a nation.
So yes, we are starting with 3.6 pairs.
But we are looking towards 1,365.
And perhaps one day, communities across Kenya will be asking a much bigger question:
What else can we build together?
Join the conversation.
Watch out for the incoming Dignity Shoes actions as we work towards getting all 1,365 children at Gatundu Primary their shoes.
3.6 pairs down. 1,361.4 to go.
The journey has begun. 🇰🇪
The meeting was on 22/08/2026
Link of the substack article first comment.
