Aug. 6, 2009, Thursday

Dr. Rafi, Asad, Grant re-organizing shoes.

Last night, Dr. Rafi, Asad, and I re-organized all the shoes we have stored in the storage. There were 150 pairs of shoes, and it took 3+ hours for three of us just to arrange them in different sizes and styles. Grant (nick name) volunteered to help us with the shoes. Thanks, Grant!

We had a fan blowing at us, but we still sweated so much we thought we were in sauna. Our shirts were soaked in sweat. We did not know we drank so much water until we found empty water bottles lying around all over the floor at the end of the day. We were finally done counting and re-packing the shoes around 10 pm. We were tired and dirty, ready to crash last night.

We sorted them into different age/gender groups and put them into separate boxes.

We still have socks, infants and children’s clothes, children’s books, toys, and DVD movies. Oh, we still have one 27 inch Panasonic T.V., too. I planned to donate the T.V. to a school, but recently found out that most of the schools do not have electricity, so they cannot use it. I am thinking of selling it and use the money to buy more shoes and clothes for children, if it is possible.

Lots of shoes... Thanks everyone for your support!

I had Dr. Rafi and Asad to talk to Afghan National Police (ANP) to ask for the list of soldiers and their shoe sizes to see if we can donate the combat boots to them. I heard a lot of ANP policemen do not have proper combat boots. They told Dr. Rafi that they will bring the list in couple days.

I am trying to contact a shoe manufacturer in China to sell us 200 children’s running shoes at much discounted price. When the school comes out of the summer vacation shortly, I will have Dr. Rafi or Asad contact the elementary school’s head master (principal) to get 200 student’s names and their shoe sizes; I will purchase 200 pairs of shoes and clothes for them.

But our budget is very limited; we currently have $1300 in our account, but it will cost us $2600 total to purchase shoes and clothes for 200 children. A pair of running shoes costs $8, and a pair of Afghan traditional clothes (top and bottom) costs $5.

$8 x 200 = $1600
$5 x 200 = $1000

Total budget needed: $2600
We are still short about $1300.

It will help us a lot if that shoe factory gives of a good amount of discount. If not, we may have to cut our donation to 100 school children only. However, even if the shoe factory gives us a deep discount, shipping cost may prevent us from purchasing them. We will have to see how it will turn out.

If we cut down our goal to 100 children instead of 200, then we will have no problem. Maybe this is our solution. =)

We will also donate shoes, clothes, and many other children materials to other organizations.

I am planning to hand out the 31 pairs of adult males shoes to local workers. They have been asking me for shoes for few weeks.

These are the last night’s count summary;

• Infant/Girls
o Size 0: 2 pairs
o Size 1: 1 pair
o Size 2: 4 pairs

• Toddler/Girls – running shoes
o Size 4: 9 pairs
o Size 5: 1 pair
o Size 6: 3 pairs
o Size 7: 1 pair

• School Kids/Girls – running shoes
o Size 8: 8 pairs
o Size 9: 15 pairs
o Size 10: 7 pairs + 1 pair winter boot
o Size 11: 5 pairs + 1 pair winter boot
o Size 13: 1 pair

• Teenage Girls/Women – running shoes
o Size 1: 6 pairs
o Size 2: 1 pair
o Size 3: 1 pair
o Size 4: 1 pair
o Size 5: 1 pair
o Size 6: 1 pair

• Flip-flops
o Size 12 school kids: 1 pair
o Adult female: 6 pairs
o Size 7 women sandal: 3 pairs
o Male adult: 1 pair

• Boys – running shoes
o Size 7: 1 pair
o Size 8: 1 pair
o Size 9: 1 pair
o Size 13: 2 pairs

• Teenage Boys – running shoes
o Size 1: 1 pair
o Size 2: 1 pair
o Size 3: 2 pairs

• Adult Male – Running shoes
o Size 7: 5 pairs
o Size 8: 9 pairs + 1 pair of working boots
o Size 9: 1 pair + 2 pairs of working boots
o Size 10: 1 pair + 4 pairs of working boots
o Size 11: 4 pairs + 1 pair of working boots
o Size 12: 3 pairs

• Combat boots
o Size 7: 3 pairs
o Size 8: 2 pairs
o Size 9: 5 pairs
o Size 10: 11 pairs
o Size 11: 6 pairs
o Size 12: 2 pairs

We are so thankful to everyone who helped us to this far. Together, we make differences one person at a time.