El Salvador: Our Home for the Last 5 Years
Since December 2019, Soles4Good has been working alongside communities in El Salvador to establish sustainable micro-businesses built around the distribution of donated shoes. Through three transformative missions, we've empowered women entrepreneurs, built business skills, and created lasting economic independence.
Our approach goes beyond simple donations—we provide comprehensive training in business fundamentals, accounting, and financial management, while establishing sustainable supply chains that enable entrepreneurs to reinvest profits and grow their businesses independently.
| Cost per shoe | Number of shoes | Average selling price | Businesses started | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $3.2 | 2,239 | $6.4 | 11 |
| 2022 | $2.0 | 7,335 | $3.6 | 17 |
| 2024 | $1.4 | 12,784 | $5.4 | 28 |
Cost per Shoe
December 2019 – January 2020
The First Mission
In December 2019, Soles4Good embarked on its second international mission, traveling to El Salvador for eight transformative days. From December 28th through January 5th, we worked alongside local communities to establish sustainable micro-businesses built around the distribution of donated shoes.
- Cost per shoe: $3.20
- Number of shoes: 2,239
- Average selling price: $6.40
- Businesses started: 11
Empowering Women Entrepreneurs
Our mission focused on empowering eleven women to launch their own micro-businesses selling used shoes collected through our school shoe drives. Rather than simply distributing donations, we created a comprehensive program designed to build lasting economic independence.
Building Business Skills
Through careful listening and community engagement, we developed an educational curriculum tailored to the specific needs of these entrepreneurs. Our training program covered essential business fundamentals:
- Basic accounting and financial management
- Inventory tracking and data collection
- Principles of saving and business reinvestment
- Long-term sustainability planning
Creating Sustainable Impact
To ensure long-term success, we established a sustainable supply chain model. The program provides ongoing access to additional shoe inventory at low cost, encouraging entrepreneurs to reinvest profits—just as successful businesses do. We also connected participants with local wholesalers to create additional opportunities for growth and financial independence.
Early Results
The impact was immediate and measurable. Within the first two weeks, the women had sold 68 pairs of shoes, and eight entrepreneurs had already reinvested their profits to purchase additional inventory and expand their businesses. This early success demonstrated the power of combining resources with education and support.
Meet the Founders
Get to know some of the people we helped during our 2019-22 mission for Soles4Good to El Salvador. We listened to each of these women, gave them a basic business and accounting education, and received feedback from everyone. Hearing their stories, and many of the hardships they endured, gave insight to the work we were doing at Soles4Good, and its effect on the community we helped.
May – June 2022
The Second Mission
Building on the success of our first mission and the growth achieved during the pandemic, Soles4Good returned to El Salvador in 2022 to deepen our impact and expand our reach.
- Cost per shoe: $2.00
- Number of shoes: 7,335
- Average selling price: $3.64
- Businesses started: 17
Strengthening Partnerships
Our second mission focused on strengthening relationships with existing entrepreneurs while welcoming new partners into the program. With our network now expanded to 33 microentrepreneurs, we worked to ensure each participant had the tools and knowledge needed to succeed.
Continued Growth
This mission reinforced the sustainability of our model and demonstrated the long-term viability of the micro-business approach. We continued to see entrepreneurs reinvesting profits, diversifying their businesses, and building economic independence for themselves and their families.
August – September 2024
The Third Mission
In 2024, Soles4Good returned to El Salvador for our third mission, continuing our commitment to sustainable economic development and community empowerment.
- Cost per shoe: $1.40
- Number of shoes: 12,784
- Average selling price: $5.42
- Businesses started: 28
Building on Success
This mission represented another milestone in our ongoing partnership with El Salvador. We continued to support our network of microentrepreneurs while exploring new ways to enhance the program's impact and reach.
Looking Forward
Each mission builds on the lessons learned from previous trips, allowing us to refine our approach and maximize positive outcomes for the communities we serve. The 2024 mission further demonstrated the power of combining resources, education, and ongoing support to create lasting change.
