Manny Ohonme, President & CEO of the World Shoe shares his dynamic journey and founding of a mission-driven organization that is making a difference with shoes. The World-Shoe aims to address neglected tropical diseases and pesticides with a shoe that is antibacterial and biodegradable.
Sharing his inspiration, Manny takes us back to the beginning when Samaritan’s Feet non-profit was founded 22 years ago, with a vision to put shoes on the feet of 10 million people. They adopted a unique delivery method that included a hygiene component by first washing every recipient’s feet before putting the new pair of shoes on. As Manny shared, “This extended to teaching the recipient the importance of washing their hands and washing their feet, but also following the example of the greatest teacher who ever lived.”
In 2009, following the hygiene-related challenges they had witnessed over the years and the economic and life impact of sickness this created, they authored a research report titled Dying Without Shoes which was commissioned to put a face to the epidemic that was affecting over 1.5 billion people around the world. From learning new names of diseases like Eodoconiosis, Cystosamuresis, and others they formulated a plan to try and address this cycle of poor hygiene and sickness.
“I was perplexed because I’m like, Oh, my gosh, I thought I was doing this to help provide shoes for the poor so they can go to school, they can work and have dignity. I didn’t realize it was a global health crisis. We kept doing what we were doing and by 2017, 2018 we had a solution… We found a way to invent a shoe, through a process that enables us to infuse an anti-microbial into the shoe. But we also didn’t want to be an environmental nuisance,” Manny affirms.
Manny challenged the manufacturing process and their partners to find a way to add a biodegradation accelerant to avoid shoes at the end of their shelf life to contribute to plastic landfills.
Fast forward a few years later, as they were approaching their 10th million shoe recipient, they recognized that in order to address the problem at a larger scale, they had to do more than give away free shoes but empower the disempowered.
“We had to find a way to short circuit our supply chain and to put a manufacturer facility in the heart of Africa where the biggest need is so there could be a triple bottom line solution that allows us to advance economic development, accelerate prosperity, while also creating a global health product that can help eradicate foodborne disease within a lifetime. People working there would not just have the dignity of working for a company, but they would be creating a solution that can solve one of the world’s greatest problems. That’s what excited me!
“A couple of years ago, that dream became reality. We were able to locate a factory in Ghana. We created over a thousand jobs through the factory with workers working six days a week, three shifts a day. Then we saw the change!” Manny says.
The solution then became about more than just providing shoes but a vehicle for impact – to improve health outcomes, economic viability, and overall better the lives of all those involved. Their audacious vision of creating a world with zero shoeless people was key to their sustainability goal, as Manny explains, “When you think about the fact that over 1.5 billion people in the world are infected with a tropical disease, that over 600 million, almost 700 million will never be able to afford shoes, the next question is how do you solve that problem? This is where owning a factory, and investing in models that are not just aid-driven concepts but are also economic growth focused come in.” One of the most significant aspects of this approach was the vertical integration of the supply chain. By controlling every step of production—from sourcing raw materials to distribution; the organization was able to maintain affordability and quality while ensuring that the entire process remained efficient and sustainable.
By establishing a sustainable business model, it helped create jobs for the next generation of middle-class Africans. Many of these were people who were engineers, or technicians, but they were underemployed. The jobs created through this initiative offered individuals not only income but also essential skills applicable in various sectors, promoting long-term economic stability. Additionally, the initiative underscored the need to look beyond conventional philanthropy and embrace solutions that merge business strategies with humanitarian objectives. By focusing on development-oriented ideas instead of solely aid-based approaches, the organization showed that it is feasible to effect significant change while ensuring financial and operational sustainability. “By selling these shoes through a commercial brand, we can target socially conscious customers who want to make a positive impact in the world. This allows them to feel good, look good, and do good all at the same time creating a very promising platform. By creating and selling shoes in an eco-friendly way that generates profit and betters the world, I can achieve multiple positive outcomes – this is what I call a quadruple bottom line.”
The World Shoe has faced some challenges in manufacturing and keeping the social impact aspect as a priority, as Manny reflects: “I think when you think about the challenges, a lot of Africans are accustomed to low-quality products that come from Asia. Because they don’t have alternative sources. When you design a product made in Africa, in Ghana, that’s high quality, people are like, “Is this made in Africa?” We have to get over the psychological and sociological mind shift. This ingrained mindset creates skepticism when they encounter a high-quality product. People often look at our product and think, “This can’t possibly be made in Africa!” We need to shift that mindset and demonstrate that innovation, quality, and top-notch manufacturing can indeed originate from Africa. We have to get people to see greatness and innovation can come out of Africa. Some of the best things in the world can come out of Africa. This is part of some of the narrative we are trying to push, that this innovation was made in Africa for the world.”
Supply challenges contribute to making manufacturing and distribution in Africa more expensive than sending products overseas.
“We find ourselves in a situation where it can be less expensive to export from Africa to the West than to transport goods within the continent. For instance, shipping from Ghana to Rwanda can be more expensive than sending products from Ghana to the United States. This is a significant cross-border issue and challenge that takes place in the continent.
We’re in 2025. In Africa, commerce should be able to flow across borders. We have to deal with the challenges of terrorists. We have to deal with the challenges of the duties that we have to pay transacting commerce amongst the African continent. That’s a challenge that we need to find a way to be able to leverage after the Africa Trade Agreement to be able to take advantage of our trading with each other to make sure our products are even cost-effective and take some of the challenges of moving products between countries away, making it easier to do to trade amongst ourselves.”
“When you develop a solution that becomes the health and hygiene shoes for the world, called the World Shoe, you’ve got to have a predefined marketing channel. Our channels are humanitarian in nature. You’ve got B2B, so you’re trying to sell this product to businesses, hospitality businesses, farming businesses, and educational businesses for schools and universities. Where you don’t have a defined channel, you have to create it or tap into an existing channel that you can help maximize. Those are some of the challenges that we’ve dealt with. How do you establish your distributors? How do you establish your sales agents? How do you establish your distribution channel? We have to be creative in terms of how we go create and accelerate us to also help to create the next generation of distributors for our products and still make it cost-effective.”
When asked about locating the factory in Ghana, Manny expressed the need to reestablish African pride and confirm that a high-quality product can be made in Africa.
“We feel Africa can lead the way in solving some of the world’s biggest problems. Think about how West Africa could become a great gateway for commerce because of the accessibility of the ports and the respect for the rule of law, it could be a major business hub. Ghana, for example, has a solid democracy, and they just had a peaceful power handover after their elections. The fact that they have a skilled, well-educated population is perfect for manufacturing and operations, and then couple that with a global supply chain and a team of industry experts to handle sales and marketing. Ghana became a very attractive spot for us because of the ease of doing business there. They’re open to new business ventures- a major plus for anyone wanting to establish or operate a business. Another attraction to Ghana is its proximity to Nigeria, Africa’s most populated country, with over 220 million people and projected to reach almost 300 million in the next 10 to 15 years. This alone made Ghana a strategic location for our factory.
The success we have achieved in Ghana, West Africa, can be replicated in other regions of Africa, such as Eastern, Southern, Central, and Northern Africa. This social enterprise framework allows us to establish factories in these regions, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and Tanzania, to stimulate economic development and create employment opportunities. These factories will produce brand-friendly products that consumers desire while also contributing to the economic growth of the respective regions.”
Manny’s personal story is a key part of his founding a non-profit and now as President & CEO of a global social enterprise. He shared this story, remembering his 9-year-old self as a street vendor in Lagos, Nigeria, and the life-altering encounter that changed the trajectory of his life. A missionary had set up an informal basketball game, and wanting to be a part of it, Manny joined – and when the shooting competition was announced was serendipitously one of the children that was chosen to compete. The missionary from the state of Wisconsin said, We’re going to have a shooting competition and the prize for the winner is going to be a new pair of tennis shoes.” Manny recalls how excited the children were as “the place went crazy and every kid was screaming.” Manny made the free shot throw and became the first person not only in his family but also in his community to own a pair of tennis shoes. “That changed my life! ‘This man called me to the front and presented me with this brand new pair of tennis shoes. He gave me the shoes I was going to take off, and right before I took off, he grabbed my shoulder. He said, Son, just because all you see all around you is poverty, doesn’t mean the God of the universe has forgotten about you. He said, Son, keep dreaming and keep dreaming big”. He could have told me that day the sky was Green, and I would have believed him. After he finished speaking, I took off. I ran so fast, I forgot my basket of soft drinks and water…”
“I would go to that park with the shoes on my neck, and I wouldn’t put them on because somebody from America gave me those pair of shoes… My friends would tease me, asking what I was doing. I’d explain I didn’t want to get my shoes dirty, as they came from America. Those shoes were special to me; home life was challenging due to my father’s struggles with addiction. Basketball became his refuge, spending time on the court, improving his skills, and growing physically. He remembers praying for just one meal a day, as he knew what it was like to be hungry. His Mother encouraged his faith and helped Manny to keep dreaming.
He found the courage to ask his coach about playing basketball in America, and while the coach was doubtful, he helped him identify scholarships which Manny then applied for and promised if he received a response, he would write him a letter of reference. He was accepted into the University of North Dakota, and that’s when his next chapter started. “Arriving in North Dakota, I was shocked by the cold and thought I had made a terrible mistake. However, it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. During my sophomore year, I met my future wife, and we have been happily married for 32 years. I earned an undergraduate degree in International Business and International Relations, followed by a Master’s in Applied Economics and Econ.
My original goal was to run the UN Food Program. That was my dream because I thought I didn’t want any child in the world to be hungry, but I didn’t realize God had a much bigger plan. I was a very good student. I got offered a job and joined a very successful supply chain technology company. I ended up working for about three different companies.”
While going through this process, his father passed away, and having to go back to Africa, he was reminded of how poor the conditions were and of the humble beginnings he had come from. “I saw those children with no shoes, and that’s when I learned that over 300 million kids in Africa had no shoes. I realized that the help I had received would enable me to help other children in the same situation. I knew then that one day I would return and create an organization to help children like myself – that I would be the answer to their prayers.”
“Fast forward, five years later, we started an organization called Samaritan’s Feet, with a vision to go and put shoes on the feet of 10 million people around the globe. We said we were going to wash their feet as a way to dignify them. Fast forward 20 years later, we have served that 10 millionth person in Cape Town, South Africa. The first person we served was in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2003 in Mitchell’s Plains. It’s just amazing to see how God has done that. By the end of this year (2025), we’ll serve our 12 millionth person, in 112 countries all across the globe. Now, just to think about launching a for-profit social enterprise that’s now manufacturing shoes, marketing and distributing shoes as a way to be able to solve that problem at scale is actually a dream come true.
It is because part of that, creating that enterprise of social change for us is in Because all this stuff began because one person inspired hope in the heart of this African boy. Can we go create 100X, 1,000X, and a millionX of Manny’s out there? But do that through the lens of entrepreneurship, through the lens of job creation, through the lens of a sustainable enterprise that has to deliver social outcomes that help lift and help make the world better, but also creating cool shoes that people want to wear.”
In thinking about the long-term vision of the company, and how the impact will continue and grow, Manny shares a profound example from his attending a UN General Assembly side event hosted by the NBA in 2024.
“I’m always excited by the opportunity to help others. The Executive Director of the NBA Players Association Foundation, Ericka Swilley, wanted me to meet a young man named Precious Achiuwa. When I introduced myself as the founder and CEO of Samaritan’s Feet and the World Shoe enterprise, Precious said that he had been looking for me. Achua recalled in granular detail the following memory: “ When I was a little boy in Nigeria, there was a team from Samaritan’s Feet that came to my town and gave me a pair of shoes. I had started playing and had gotten good at basketball. I already loved basketball because of my height. I still remember the color of the shoes. I still remember the size of the shoes.” He ended up coming to America to play high school basketball. Then got recruited to play at the University of Memphis. He was drafted in the first round by the Miami Heat and then played for the Toronto Raptors. And recently, for the last couple of years, he’s been playing for the New York Knicks. Achuiwa said, “I want to thank you. I’m one of your 11 million.”
Many emotionally recalls, “I lost it. I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I asked myself, How can we find more Precious’s, more people like Manny? How do we create a world where no one is without shoes and we can spark dreams in their hearts? How can we build factories across Africa and other parts of the world to empower those, who need it most? They can make the shoes the world needs and help eliminate this global problem that affects over a billion people.”
Manny aligns with the vision that his company will one day become synonymous with health and hygiene, empowering the next generation to produce their shoes and create solutions that benefit everyone. This vision includes a focus on sustainability and market-based solutions that bring transformation. “The goal is to solve the issue of shoes, and then move on to the next big problem through this same lens. We also need to empower women by giving them opportunities to become entrepreneurs and distributors and teaching them how to become future CEOs. By doing so, we can create solutions that help people pursue their dreams. We can also bundle our product with feminine hygiene products to keep young girls in school. Our shoes can be used in hospitals to keep pathogens away and prevent the spread of bacteria and in schools during the rainy season because they are easily cleaned.”
Manny, a seasoned leader and social entrepreneur, believes that success is a collaborative effort. He emphasizes the importance of helping others on their journey to success, stating, “Nobody ever has ascended to the position of success in their life that didn’t get help along the journey.” He encourages leaders to “send down the elevator and bring others with you” once they reach the pinnacle of success.
Manny’s leadership philosophy is rooted in the belief that leaders should dream big and envision a future that includes others. He believes that a leader’s vision should be so expansive that it creates opportunities for others to join them. This philosophy, which he learned from his mother, is grounded in the idea of servant leadership. Manny has even established the Samaritan Leadership Institute, where he teaches the principles of servant leadership based on a parable he learned in Sunday school – the parable of the Good Samaritan, who had compassion and selflessness who helped an injured man, ignored by others, illustrating that true neighborly love transcends social and cultural boundaries.
“That story became the impetus for who I am today. From my leadership philosophy, I don’t walk passed the problem without stopping and saying, What can I contribute? That’s what I teach other people: to never walk passed the problem. You always have something in your tool bag to be able to offer as a solution to those in need and to make sure you have ethics. I believe you need to let your words be seasoned with the things you say. I believe there shouldn’t be a difference between your public and your private life. When you say you’re going to do things, you care to delight your customers, you go the extra mile to do that. Those are philosophies that I’ve embraced that’s carried me through when I was in the marketplace in the technology space, when we started Samaritan’s Feet, when we started the World Shoe, domicile manufacturing company in Africa or the brand in North America or the Impact Foundation that we work with or serve on the board as a chair for Sanford Health board.”
Manny also credits his parents, mentors, wife, children, staff, donors, and partners as role models. His mother taught him the power of compassion. His father taught him the importance of generosity and always sharing what one has, even if it is not a lot. The first boss he had, Patrick Tien, emphasized setting goals and targets and understanding the steps involved in reaching those goals with the right team. Kelby Krabbenhoft taught the importance of thinking big, creating processes, and attracting top talent. Manny believes one can learn a lot from those around them.
As someone who has learned a lot along his illustrious journey, Manny says, “The most important piece of advice I can give to an aspiring entrepreneur is to never give up” He coupled this with a few key reminders:
- Ensure your vision and dreams are ambitious and bold enough to scare you.
- Challenges will inevitably arise, but don’t give up before you achieve your breakthrough; you were destined for this.
- Live purposefully. Let your purpose guide you and provide a framework for decision-making, allowing you to decline distractions.
- Choose your partners carefully, both in business and personal life. Ensure alignment at all levels.
- Always act ethically and treat others as you wish to be treated. As you achieve success, focus on helping others, and your needs will be fulfilled as well.
The co-founder of Samaritan’s Feet, Tracie Ohonme shares how her upbringing influenced her desire to start the organization with her husband. She recounts her family’s struggles after her parent’s divorce, their reliance on welfare, and the feeling of hopelessness that at times seemed insurmountable. Amidst these challenges, she found support through the Big Brother Big Sister program, where her mentor’s kindness and guidance instilled in her the belief that her future was not defined by her circumstances.
These formative experiences taught her a crucial lesson: no one should have to face hardship alone, and no one should be diminished because of their situation. This profound empathy for those struggling became the core of Samaritan’s Feet. The organization’s vision was born from her personal understanding of insecurity and lack.
Samaritan’s Feet is more than just an organization; it’s an embodiment of her own story. It’s about providing dignity and hope to those who need it most, extending a helping hand, and ensuring that no one bears unnecessary burdens. It’s about ensuring that every child and every family receives the support and love they need to overcome their challenges, just as she was fortunate enough to receive.
This mission is deeply personal to her, rooted in her own experiences as a child who needed help and an adult who believes that no one should be left behind. She is driven by a commitment to give others the same chance to walk with dignity, hope, and a limitless future that she was given. Samaritan’s Feet is not just an organization she co-founded; it’s the fulfillment of a purpose that has been with her since her youth.
“I feel incredibly proud of many achievements during Samaritan’s Feet’s journey. Reaching our goal of distributing 10 million pairs of shoes is a recent accomplishment that stands out. This milestone signifies the countless lives we’ve touched, the hope we’ve instilled, and the dignity we’ve restored to children and families worldwide. While we celebrate, our ultimate dream remains: a world where no child walks barefoot and every child lives with dignity.”
“We believe in the power of one—one pair of shoes, one act of kindness, one person making a difference. Each recipient becomes part of something bigger. Children like Abigail, Zadien, John, Timothy, Ibrahim, Grace, and Gabby—receiving shoes symbolizes that they are seen, valued, and loved. It boosts their confidence, protects their health, and empowers them to move forward with hope. The impact is mutual. Volunteers like Gabriel, Graham, Todd, Jim, and Christine have also been transformed. Their message isn’t just about material goods; it’s about recognizing shared humanity. This shared experience changes both the giver and the receiver. The volunteer gains a renewed sense of purpose and connection, knowing their small act creates a ripple effect of compassion and change,” Tracie affirms.
Tracie’s philanthropic endeavors through Samaritan’s Feet are not only focused on providing shoes; and recently include women’s reproductive health and hygiene as part of the organization’s outreach programs. “Women’s reproductive health and hygiene are fundamental to their well-being and empowerment. Including this cause in our organization’s outreach is not only a necessary step but a responsibility in promoting gender equality and advancing human rights. Across the globe, nearly 1 in 4 women of reproductive age experience issues related to menstrual hygiene, and more than 800 million women and girls menstruate every day. Yet, over 500 million women lack access to menstrual products, safe sanitation, and education on reproductive health. In the United States alone, 16.9 million women live in poverty and may not have access to menstrual products or proper health/medication that treats period symptoms. (according to Healthline) This is a staggering issue because the lack of access to proper hygiene and reproductive care can severely impact a woman’s physical and emotional health, and it limits her ability to participate fully in education and the workforce. For example, in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, a significant number of girls miss school due to menstrual hygiene challenges.”
Studies show that up to 1 in 10 girls in low-income countries miss school during menstruation, further perpetuating the cycle of poverty. Improving access to healthcare, education, and hygiene can prevent a large number of maternal deaths. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 295,000 women died in 2017 from preventable pregnancy and childbirth-related causes. By addressing these issues, Tracie hopes to improve health outcomes for women and create opportunities for education, economic growth, and social development.
Women’s health is directly tied to family well-being, community resilience, and global prosperity. This cause is a crucial step toward ensuring that every woman, no matter where she lives, has the tools, education, and support to thrive. Our outreach is a statement that we stand for a world where women’s reproductive health and dignity are prioritized and where every woman has the chance to live a life of opportunity, health, and equality.
At its core, the World Shoe represents a shift in how business and philanthropy intersect. By leveraging innovation, sustainability, and economic empowerment, the company is not just providing footwear—it’s stepping into a better future for all
