Eco-Shoes Africa was selected as one of the 2025 UNHCR Innovation Projects. Find out more here.
Eco-Shoes Africa is a social enterprise founded by Moses Taban Mathew within the Bidibidi refugee settlement in northern Uganda. Focused on sustainability and community impact, Eco-Shoes Africa recycles discarded shoes to create unique, eco-friendly designs, supporting both environmental protection and practical needs. Through their work, they ensure vulnerable children in the settlement have shoes to wear, especially for school, addressing a vital community need.
Eco-Shoes Africa provides job opportunities for marginalized youth and women in the camp. In a setting where traditional pathways are limited, this initiative empowers young refugees and women to develop skills in shoemaking, transforming the social and economic landscape. As a result, the enterprise not only tackles local unemployment but also inspires community-driven solutions to everyday challenges.
The inspiration for Eco-Shoes Africa stems from Moses’ personal journey. Raised by a single mother in South Sudan, he often went to school with worn shoes his cousin gave him. In 2016, conflict in South Sudan forced Moses to seek refuge in Uganda, where he noticed the same issue—many children in the refugee camp were walking barefoot due to a lack of resources. This powerful memory drove him to launch Eco-Shoes Africa, aiming to give children the dignity and safety of proper footwear. Initially a challenging endeavor, the enterprise began to thrive as a team formed around the shared goal of empowerment and resilience.
