Zapatos de GiGANTES
Who we are
We are a group of friends who share a passion for helping vulnerable communities in Latin America, especially children, and spreading positivity in their daily lives. As soccer enthusiasts, we decided to combine our interests and visited some indigenous communities. We quickly noticed that children love soccer, but many do not have access to proper shoes. With the knowledge that children grow quickly and need new shoes often, we decided to collect gently used shoes for recycling and distribution to these communities. It is important to note that we are facilitators in this mission - the true heroes are the parents, coaches, and community leaders like our friend Jose Andrade who dedicate their lives to helping children. We hope you, the readers of this website, will join us in supporting this cause as the supporting cast.
Our History
Our involvement in this project began unexpectedly when a friend from Rioacha, Colombia, named Jose Andrade reached out to me for assistance. He was helping a group of children from a poverty-stricken neighborhood who were in dire need of soccer equipment. The only escape from the violence and drugs in their community was playing soccer on a rocky, sandy field. When I saw pictures of the children, I noticed they were playing barefoot. I immediately contacted Ernesto, one of our board members and a childhood friend, to see if he could help. Within two months, we were able to provide the children with 22 complete soccer uniforms, around 40 pairs of shoes, soccer balls, and goalie outfits. The joy on the children's faces was indescribable. This is how our project began. (The picture above captures some of the kids playing with the donations we provided.)
Our Mission
Our goal is to empower the forgotten and indigenous communities in Latin America through our two-fold mission. Firstly, we strive to provide children in these communities with proper soccer equipment, especially shoes, to encourage their passion and dedication to the sport. Secondly, we are committed to environmental sustainability by recycling gently used soccer shoes that would otherwise end up in landfills. We believe that sports are a powerful tool to instill valuable life lessons in children and pave the way for a brighter future.
At our organization, soccer has brought us immense joy, and we are eager to share that joy with others, especially children who lack the resources to pursue their dreams. By recycling shoes, we not only protect the environment, but we also inspire hope in these children and help them realize their dreams. Our mission is to "recycle dreams" for these children and communities, honoring the roots of our ancestors and uplifting the next generation.
Join us in this cause and help make a difference in the lives of these kids and our planet.