Udupi: Giving old footwear a new lease of life, a three-day campaign in Udupi will encourage people to donate used slippers and shoes in good condition for upcycling and free distribution among underprivileged schoolchildren across the country.The campaign titled ‘Nadige, Savira Hejjegalige Nimma Koduge’ will be held at MGM College, Udupi, from Oct 23 to 25. The campaign aims to collect at least 15,000 pairs of footwear this year, up from the more than 9,000 pairs collected during its previous edition.The initiative is inspired by Green Sole Foundation, which has been upcycling discarded footwear since 2016 to create useful products, including comfortable slippers, school bags and mats for underserved communities. The foundation’s work has positively impacted more than eight lakh beneficiaries across over 23 states, while diverting waste from landfills and the environment, said anchor and voiceover artiste Avinash Kamath, who is leading the campaign.He said that he first came across a video about Green Sole in 2019 and was impressed by its work. He launched the first campaign in Udupi in 2023 and is now taking the initiative forward for its second edition in 2026.“Most households have old footwear lying around that is no longer being used, even though it is still in good condition. For instance, my wife and I had seven pairs that we were not using. Instead of letting them go to waste, they can be put to good use by someone who needs them,” he said, urging people to check their homes, clean the footwear and tie each pair together before donating it.The collection drive will be held at MGM College, with around 100 volunteers expected to facilitate donations. The organisers have reached out to several colleges, encouraging students and non-teaching staff to contribute. Organisations and clubs have also expressed interest in taking up footwear collection as a community activity.Footwear of all kinds will be accepted, except children’s footwear below nine years of age and women’s high heels.Green Sole Foundation founders Shriyans Bhandari and Ramesh Dhami are expected to be present during the campaign. Besides footwear, the foundation upcycles discarded flex material into bags and mats and old clothes into school bags, combining environmental conservation with social welfare. The organisers have appealed to the public to visit the collection point on any of the three days and donate footwear that can make a difference to someone in need.
