NAMPA, Idaho — Girl Scouts troops around the country sold enough cookies to contribute almost $25,000 to Because International, helping to forward the group's efforts to provide shoes for children in Kenya.
Because International sends shoes to children in the African nation that grow with them. Shoes are a premium luxury in Kenya, and the expanding shoe can grow with kids' feet as their shoe size increases.
Being a Girl Scout and selling cookies offers girls the chance to learn salesmanship, how to take orders and handle money, and the logistics of providing a product. Donating that money to a non-profit takes it to a whole new level, adding the philanthropic element to raising money.
"It just makes me feel proud that humanity is like these groups of people need help let's set up an organization to help them out. If people set their minds to it they can achieve a lot," said Elaine Pope, Girl Scout from Troop 840.
Scout members were given the opportunity to try on the shoes, allowing them to feel the difference between what children in Kenya may experience with and without having shoes.
"It's really exciting. We have done events with Girl Scouts before and just have them to be able to really look at the shoe and try it on and see pictures and get to try experiences where they what it may be like to not have shoes," said Hannah Braly, Because International Marketing Specialist. "You see a moment when it clicks for them. That shoes are really important because a lot of times they have not thought about what it is like not to have shoes."
Because International has a goal to raise $50,000, and the Girl Scouts were able to get them half-way there.
For more information on how you can help with the cause, go to the Because International website.
