These shoes are made for walking

About two million people in Southeast Asia have foot problems, which makes it difficult for them to walk. To address this problem, NLR and the Liliane Foundation started the project ‘These shoes are made for walking’  in May 2014.

Within the next years, young people from various Southeast Asian countries will join a new – internationally recognized – training programme in Hanoi, Vietnam. They will be trained to become orthopaedic shoemakers.

After their graduation, the students will be working in their own countries. NLR and the Liliane Foundation will use their existing network to get them started. By working together with existing orthopaedic and rehabilitation centres in Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, they will make a start with building a network of workplaces throughout Southeast Asia.

The aim is to make orthopaedic means accessible for people who need these for proper walking. Examples are children with spasticity, clubfeet or polio and people who are affected by leprosy, lymphatic filariasis or diabetes. The availability of special shoes could also serve as a solution for people who became crippled as a consequence of traffic accidents, conflicts and natural disasters.

Latest news:

On December 17th 2015, the first class of students have graduated successfully! The 13 students went the past 18 months through a rigorous study and training program and impressed in their final week the examination board and exam jury with their newly acquired knowledge and skills, their final presentations and their products: Shoes made for Walking for patients with a variety of foot deformities and walking problems.