Innocent Byaruhanga is the founder of Pamoja Center -- a Ugandan startup working with former street children to produce sustainable shoes out of disused tires.
From street kid to shoe designer —
Innocent Byaruhanga is the founder of Pamoja Center -- a Ugandan startup working with former street children to produce sustainable shoes out of disused tires.
CNN
A former street child himself, Byaruhanga wanted to offer a positive future for these vulnerable kids by providing with them a skill and potential job opportunities.
Repurposing old tires —
A former street child himself, Byaruhanga wanted to offer a positive future for these vulnerable kids by providing with them a skill and potential job opportunities.
CNN
He explains: "Basically our products start by getting tires, we bring them here at our center and then we cut them...."
Sustainable shoemaking —
He explains: "Basically our products start by getting tires, we bring them here at our center and then we cut them...."
CNN
"...We get the piece from the tire that we are interested in... So you can now see the shoe is now coming out."
Positive footprint —
"...We get the piece from the tire that we are interested in... So you can now see the shoe is now coming out."
CNN
The youngsters work together to design and make the shoes at the Uganda-based center.
Collaboration —
The youngsters work together to design and make the shoes at the Uganda-based center.
CNN
The center gives street children a skill they can earn from in a country with rampant youth unemployment.
Tackling unemployment —
The center gives street children a skill they can earn from in a country with rampant youth unemployment.
CNN
As well as providing hope for a better future for underprivileged Ugandan youth, Byaruhanga also hopes the sustainable shoes will help protect the environment by repurposing "trash" like old tires. He says that Pamoja's profits from the shoe line are shared with the children who make them and thus help them support themselves, as well as learning a life skill.
Eco-friendly —
As well as providing hope for a better future for underprivileged Ugandan youth, Byaruhanga also hopes the sustainable shoes will help protect the environment by repurposing "trash" like old tires. He says that Pamoja's profits from the shoe line are shared with the children who make them and thus help them support themselves, as well as learning a life skill.
CNN
But it hasn't been plain sailing for the startup. The passionate entrepreneur reveals: "The challenges that we face as a startup company is number one: lack of capital; number two: we need machines that can be able to produce shoes and to have a good finish up; number three is also turn up of many children who want to get skills from us..."
Overcoming challenges —
But it hasn't been plain sailing for the startup. The passionate entrepreneur reveals: "The challenges that we face as a startup company is number one: lack of capital; number two: we need machines that can be able to produce shoes and to have a good finish up; number three is also turn up of many children who want to get skills from us..."
CNN
Despite the obstacles the center faces, the beautiful and durable shoes have proved popular with women and teenagers in the Ugandan marketplace, says Byaruhanga.
In demand —
Despite the obstacles the center faces, the beautiful and durable shoes have proved popular with women and teenagers in the Ugandan marketplace, says Byaruhanga.
CNN