World Shoe as grown far beyond one man’s story. Their “Wash and Wear” initiative has served nearly 10 million people in 109 countries, combining the simple act of a new pair of shoes with the hygiene education needed to prevent disease. Along the way, the cause has drawn in an unlikely army of advocates — thousands of Barefoot Coaches, hundreds of pastors, governors, and business leaders who have used their platforms to bring attention to a crisis most of the industrialized world never sees.

Through Commonwealth, a Sagamore Venture, Sagamore has supported the next chapter of this work: World Shoe, a prophylactic, bio-degradable footwear designed specifically to prevent neglected tropical diseases. Rather than simply shipping shoes overseas, World Shoe is building a replicable factory model in Ghana, West Africa, to manufacture the next generation of the shoe locally. The approach does double duty — expanding access to footwear where it’s needed most, while generating jobs and building manufacturing capacity within the community itself.