Poverty takes many forms, shaped by factors such as location, education, and opportunity. In Africa, however, poverty often extends beyond income, denying millions access to life's most basic necessities. In Malawi and many other African countries, even education, hard work, urban living, or a privileged family background do not always shield people from hardship.

For many families, poverty means struggling to secure nutritious food, adequate clothing, safe shelter, and access to healthcare.

This reality is one that Nigerian philanthropist Manny Ohonme knows firsthand.

Born into a family marked by poverty and hardship, Ohonme grew up in Lagos with an alcoholic father who frequently became abusive. His family survived by selling water and soft drinks just to afford daily meals.

At the age of nine, his life changed when an American missionary visiting Nigeria in search of basketball talent gave him his first pair of shoes. Recognizing his height and passion for basketball, the missionary helped him secure a scholarship to study in the United States—a life-changing opportunity that transformed not only his future but also that of his family.

Today, Ohonme is the founder of Samaritan's Feet, a humanitarian organization that has distributed millions of pairs of shoes around the world. Through a shoe manufacturing facility in Ghana, the organization provides footwear to vulnerable communities across Africa, including Malawi.

On 30 July, Samaritan's Feet partnered with Operation Save Malawi to launch a major shoe distribution campaign at Mtunthama Primary School in Dowa District. During the event, 400 pupils had their feet washed before each received a new pair of shoes.

Explaining the significance of the gesture, Ohonme said the foot-washing ceremony is intended to affirm the dignity and value of every child.

"This is to show the children that they are important, cherished, and thought of. This is what every child needs throughout childhood, as it helps them grow responsibly and intelligently," he said.

The campaign aims to distribute 50,000 pairs of shoes during its first phase, focusing on schoolchildren and healthcare workers.

According to Ohonme, these groups are particularly vulnerable to diseases contracted through walking barefoot.

"Children and health workers are most exposed to disease-causing germs. These shoes have antimicrobial properties that help protect them from these germs," he said.

The initiative also reflects the journey of Captain Hastings Jailosi, whose own story mirrors Ohonme's in many ways.

Before becoming an airline captain, Jailosi worked as a minibus conductor and later as a driver. Drawing from his experiences of hardship, he co-founded Operation Save Malawi in 2023 in partnership with Operation Save America, with the goal of improving lives through four key pillars: Shelter, Agriculture, Vocation, and Evangelism.

Jailosi said the organization is currently operating in Lilongwe, Dowa, and Ntchisi, where it is implementing a range of community development programmes.

"We are building houses for vulnerable people, including persons with disabilities and refugees. We run school feeding programmes, train women in vocational skills such as tailoring to promote self-reliance, drill boreholes to improve access to clean water, and carry out evangelism, among other initiatives," he said.

Beyond providing footwear, the shoe distribution campaign seeks to reduce the number of people walking barefoot, lower the risk of preventable infections, and restore dignity to vulnerable children and frontline health workers.

For Ohonme, it all began with a single pair of shoes. Today, that simple act of kindness has grown into a mission that is changing thousands of lives across Africa—one step at a time.