ANNUAL REPORT Changing the world one life at a time… one pair of shoes at a time. The Butterfly Movement Ltd. trading as Soles4Souls Australia July 2014 FROM THE CHAIR Changing the world one life at a time… one pair of shoes at a time. With gratitude for the unwavering support of our community, the 2013/2014 year was particularly significant in the growth and community impact achieved. This year shoes which were donated Australia-wide were re-distributed in Australia, Guatemala, Tanzania and Vanuatu. As the Founder and Chair of Soles4Souls Australia (The Butterfly Movement Ltd.) I am grateful for the support of the individuals, schools, businesses and community groups in changing lives through the donation of shoes and funds. During the year we reached the major milestone of more than 100,000 pairs of shoes collected from all Australian states and territories. Our community engagement increased this year with opportunities to donate widened through: Our Melbourne Shoe Drive in July and August 2013, culminating in a three-day event in Federation Square; A National Shoe drive in partnership with Crocs Shoes Australia; Additional businesses nominating to be donation points in Adelaide (ongoing) and in Melbourne (during the 2013 Victoria appeal); and The opening of the Soles4Souls Australia office in Adelaide, with support from our partnership with Wesley Social Enterprises. In May 2014, following my move from Chief Executive to Chair, we also welcomed a part-time General Manager to Soles4Souls Australia to help lead the “The lives we change through the gift organisation to greater heights. of shoes is only possible with your Thank you to all of our community: our generosity” volunteers, our sponsors – both in-kind and financial, and our partner organisations. The lives we change through the gift of shoes is only possible with you and your generosity. Thank you. I am proud to be part of the leadership team which guides and governs Soles4Souls Australia, and together with our community, I look forward to building on this year with another year of growth in 2014/2015. Yours sincerely, Dalice Kennedy Founder and Chair 1 July 2014 SHOE DISTRIBUTIONS This year, in reaching our 100,000 pairs of shoe milestone, shoes donated in Australia were re- distributed in Australia, Guatemala, Tanzania and Vanuatu. AUSTRALIA Throughout the year we partnered with Power Community Limited (Port Adelaide Football Club) and the SA Nunga Netball Carnival to support more SA Indigenous kids needing a hand-up. A highlight for the partnership this year was the distribution of footy boots to kids at clinics in Oak Valley, by AFL Legends Gavin Wanganeen and Byron Pickett. The trips to Oak Valley are part of a partnership Power Community Ltd has with the Maralinga Lands. The Power’s Aboriginal Engagement and Employment Manager Paul Vandenbergh said the Australian Aboriginal communities bring a lot to the sport and the partnership with Soles4Souls Australia will ensure more young players are provided with the crucial tools to reach their potential. “Creating opportunities and pathways is the initial stage and providing the kids with shoes gives them an opportunity to increase their skill level and opportunities.” “The Indigenous community represents three per cent of the population but in the AFL nine per cent of the players list is Indigenous, however, we believe through the right level of support this can increase.” “For more Indigenous players to reach their highest level and potentially play AFL we need to provide them with the tools, and this includes footy boots,” Mr. “the partnership with Vanderbergh said. Soles4Souls Australia will ensure more young players Soles4Souls Australia is committed to are provided with the crucial supporting Australian youth and increasing opportunities through the tools to reach their potential.” provision of footwear. Sporting opportunities is just one avenue to reach and support more Australians. The enthusiasm and commitment of Power Community Limited together with the wider Australian community in providing shoes will heavily contribute to the future success of Indigenous programs supported by Soles4Souls Australia into the future. 2 July 2014 GUATEMALA In 2013 we were contacted by a company working in the footwear industry in Australia about a large number of new shoes (more than 10,000 pairs) they wished to donate to Soles4Souls Australia for our international programs. Working together with Soles4Souls (USA), our sister charity, these shoes were redistributed with our partners in Guatemala. TANZANIA: 2014 VOLUNTEER DISTRIBUTION TRIP In May 2014 Australian volunteers joined our Founder and Chair, Dalice Kennedy, in Tanzania to distribute shoes donated by our community. It was our second volunteer distribution trip to Tanzania and the community and human impact was seen and felt each and every day through the smiles and gratitude shared with us by the hearts we touched. The photos and videos which were taken throughout the journey share the story best. Click on the images below to be taken to our Instagram and facebook pages. 3 July 2014 TANZANIA: MICRO-ENTERPRISE This year we travelled with David Graben, the Chief Operating Officer of Soles4Souls (USA) – our sister charity, to Tanzania. Our visit to Tanzania was about ensuring we continue to do good work and are effective for the people you are supporting. The focus of the trip was micro-enterprise and the opportunities created and long-term impact made for individuals and the community through the trade of second-hand shoes - a key focus for Soles4Souls Australia and Soles4Souls. While charity is a special gift and has an important place in our world, supporting people in micro- “Employment is a life-changing enterprise is a gift that lasts for opportunity for people generations – it is the shoes you globally. The opportunity to earn a donate that change lives, change families and change communities. wage means the ability to buy food, to pay for shelter, to send During our distribution trips to children to school, to pay for Tanzania we visit various schools, health care. It is a life giving orphanages and youth centres to provide our donated shoes one-on- opportunity that sends ripples.” one to people in immediate need, however, there are many shoes which are best for creating opportunities and supporting individuals through micro-enterprise. It is with these shoes that help to mobilise people to support themselves and make a long-term change. Employment is a life-changing opportunity for people globally. The opportunity to earn a wage means the ability to buy food, to pay for shelter, to send children to school, to pay for health care. It really is a life giving opportunity that sends ripples. Unfortunately, this is a basic need not available for so many people, especially in developing countries where unemployment can be 40% or higher. Employment and income doesn’t just change the life of the individual, it changes families and communities. It is a generational change. In addition, the flow on benefits of individuals selling shoes creates affordable footwear for people living in the community (therefore improving health and creating a further flow on of benefits). While in Tanzania we visited local markets in Kigoma in west Tanzania and its surrounding regional areas, meeting with individuals that have a small (micro) business selling shoes, some of which have been donated in Australia and the USA through Soles4Souls. Speaking with them and hearing their stories highlighted the important role the global community plays through Soles4Souls and Soles4Souls Australia in making a long-term difference in the country and in the lives of the individuals. 4 July 2014 VANUATU This year we received an email from Tom, an Australia volunteer based in Vanuatu, seeking some soccer boots to support the women’s soccer team he has been working with. Tom told us that “In the past year, he and the local Women’s Development Officer have started the first U17’s Women’s League (there are no junior sport programs at all), in Port Vila the capital of Vanuatu, an U17 elite program which will see the first U17 national side compete in the Oceania World Cup Qualifiers and U12 football festivals. They are now extending the U17 Leagues to other islands (Vanuatu has 83), and have helped start a league on the island of Malekula.” We were impressed with the developments and very keen to support the women with soccer boots. The right footwear can increase the participation and opportunities for people in sport in addition to giving them greater pride and enjoyment from the game. Within days of receiving the email from Tom we received 16 pairs of brand new girls soccer boots from the Rotary Donations in Kind Warehouse in West Footscray Victoria and secured a volunteer travelling to Vanuatu willing to take additional luggage. Within two weeks the girls had their new soccer boots. On receiving the boots we received this message from Tom in Vanuatu: “I had a training session with the national U17 women’s team yesterday where I handed out some of the boots (some of them are too big for this age) and the girls absolutely loved them. Especially the pink ones. I tried to keep telling the girls if they were too big not to wear them but they were just too excited.” “Again thank you so much, if you come across any more boots please think of us,” Tom. 5 July 2014 SHOE PARTNERSHIPS WESLEY SOCIAL ENTERPRISES In September 2013 we announced a partnership between Soles4Souls Australia and Wesley Social Enterprises which commenced in early 2014. Wesley Social Enterprises Inc. (WSE) is a non-profit Australian Disability Enterprise that provides employment for people who live with a disability. The partnership ensures meaningful employment for a supported, paid workforce in Australia with the employment of South Australians living with a disability in the sorting, packing and preparing of shoes for distribution.