{"id":1221,"date":"2025-06-20T23:40:56","date_gmt":"2025-06-20T21:40:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/helpinghands.fr\/?p=1221"},"modified":"2026-04-03T21:05:56","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T19:05:56","slug":"childrens-shoes-philippines-limbauan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/helpinghands.fr\/en\/chaussures-enfants-philippines-limbauan\/","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udc5f Protecting feet to protect children: Luigi and Paolo's commitment at Limbauan"},"content":{"rendered":"

\ud83d\udc5f Protecting feet to protect childhood<\/h2>\n

Luigi and Paolo's initiative in Limbauan, Philippines<\/h3>\n

In the Philippines, in remote rural areas such as Limbauan, walking barefoot is a habit imposed by poverty. But for the children, it's much more than just a source of discomfort: it's a constant source of danger.<\/p>\n

In 2023, Luigi and Paolo, on the ground in the village of Limbauan (Isabela province), took a simple but decisive decision: to give new shoes to the children at the local school. With no organisation, no grants and no outside support, they acted alone, with their own resources, in the face of a reality they could no longer ignore.<\/p>\n

\"Group<\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udccd A barefoot daily life in the Philippine hinterland<\/h3>\n

In many rural areas of the Philippines, more than 4 million children live in poverty, often far from roads, health centres and public services.<\/p>\n

According to UNICEF Philippines<\/a>27 % of Filipino children were living below the poverty line in 2021. This figure rises to well over 40 % in rural areas. Every day, hundreds of thousands of children go to school or help their parents in the fields without shoes.<\/p>\n

To find out more about our actions in the region, see our article on the construction of a classroom in Limbauan<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\u26a0\ufe0f Health risks associated with walking barefoot<\/h3>\n

\ud83d\udc0d 1 Snake bites<\/h4>\n

There are around 14,000 cases of snakebites in the Philippines every year.<\/p>\n

These bites cause between 200 and 300 deaths a year, with a high proportion of children (up to 35 % of victims). In rural areas, children are often bitten on the foot or ankle when they are walking through grass, near rice fields or on paths that are not clear.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc1b 2 Poisonous insects and arthropods<\/h4>\n

Scorpions, tropical red ants and spiders frequently live in wooded or humid areas. Their bites or stings cause acute pain, local infections and sometimes severe allergic reactions, even anaphylactic shock.<\/p>\n

\ud83e\udda0 3. Soil parasites<\/h4>\n

Up to 75 % of children living in rural areas are infested by soil-borne intestinal parasites, such as hookworm or Strongyloides stercoralis<\/em>.<\/p>\n

These infections lead to severe anaemia, chronic fatigue, stunted growth, cognitive problems and general weakness. In the most serious cases, particularly in immunocompromised children, strongyloidiasis can lead to death if not treated in time.<\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udcda Source: WHO - Soil-transmitted helminth infections<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\ud83d\udca7 4. Leptospirosis<\/h4>\n

This bacterial infection is transmitted by rat urine in stagnant water. It enters the body through cuts or abrasions to the feet. In the Philippines, the authorities record an average of 680 cases and around 40 deaths a year linked to this disease, mainly during the rainy season.<\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udcda Source: Department of Health Philippines - Leptospirosis Surveillance<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\ud83d\udd25 5. Burns, cuts, tetanus<\/h4>\n

Overheated ground, pieces of glass or metal, thorns and agricultural debris all cause open wounds. If left untreated, these wounds easily become infected. Tetanus, although rarer today, still represents a threat in regions where vaccination coverage remains incomplete.<\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udcda Social and educational impact of lack of footwear<\/h3>\n

Children who walk barefoot are not only exposed to health risks. It also affects their access to education and their self-esteem:<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd01 Increased absenteeism<\/strong>
Children who are injured or ill often stay at home. According to some local studies, wearing shoes can reduce absences by 30 to 40 %.<\/p>\n

\ud83e\uddd2 Social stigma<\/strong>
Walking barefoot is a visible sign of poverty, leading to shame, marginalisation and withdrawal from the classroom.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfeb Dropping out of school<\/strong>
In rural areas, many children drop out of school because they lack suitable clothing or footwear.<\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udcaa Luigi and Paolo's initiative: a human, direct and effective response<\/h3>\n

Luigi and Paolo didn't wait for an NGO to intervene. Watching the children walk to school barefoot, they decided to finance the purchase of new shoes themselves, and then distribute them directly to the pupils.<\/p>\n

This gesture had an immediate effect:<\/p>\n