Fashion guru Charles Kay, kits school kids with 300 pairs of shoes

Male fashion guru, Charles Kay Anyabuike, has promised that no kid in his area of residence will go to school with patched shoes as long as the Almighty God continues to provide for him and his family.

Anyabuike, a thespian, film maker and fashion designer made the declaration at the presentation of 300 school shoes to deserving pupils of Ajah/ Badore area of ibeju-lekki, Lagos on December 30, 2023.

100 shoes were given during the the first edition of the SSAK initiative held in September 2023.

CKay as he is fondly called by his fans, explained why he resolved to delve into philanthropy and his future plans .

“I am not one to announce my charity. I don’t think I have ever. So, this is a sober moment for me. It’s no secret that the surge in fuel prices and other things have given rise to astronomical costs in transportation. This has resulted in many trekking long distances to work, especially in Lagos. Many people’s salaries cannot even cover their transport costs to and fro their work places. Even some car owners have parked their cars and joined the long trek.

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“Worst hit are the school kids who hitherto take keke or bus to and from school. Their parents dey trek, who them be to enter bus? The situation is even worse in the expansive land mass locations like Lekki, Ajah and environs. I see these kids in worn out school shoes from constant trekking; some shoes have been patched so often they can’t be patched anymore. I tried to buy for one or two or three random kids I met but that was not enough.

“Since I am not the government and I cannot bring down the cost of transportation, I was moved to do the little I can in the environment where I just opened my new showroom, in the Addo Badore area of Lekki -Ajah.

“I decided to buy as many school shoes as my little purse can afford and share to the kids I can identify in the hood. The area might be a fairly highbrow business area but there are lots of struggling parents who can ill afford to replace 2 or 3 or more school shoes for their kids every now and then.

“When I mentioned it to my man, Mike Ikem Umealo , who is not even in Nigeria, he said, Charles let me join you and do this.

“Immediately I made it public in the neighbourhood, I was pleasantly surprised at the number of parents, mostly mothers who came to my office at Addo Badore roundabout to submit their kids’ shoe sizes. The number swelled far beyond what I had in mind. Some of my followers even saw my earlier post on facebook and recommended beneficiaries in the neighbourhood who have been duly registered.

“It’s taking a chunk of my time but it is a labour of love. These kids, the few I can reach, will not patch their school shoes again. If they have to walk to and fro school, they will walk safe, and walk happy. This term, we decided to hold the event at our office complex at Ochowa Flourish plaza, Addo- Badore, Lekki -Ajah

“We hosted 300 kids, entertained them at our premises and each left with a brand new school shoe for the new term. We will do it again in a bigger and bigger way at the beginning of every new term and we may expand the area of reach if we get more funding. So far it has been Charles Kay Afrolux World funding it with one or two donations from close friends”, he concluded.