From Tuesday, May 18 to Friday, May 21, Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School’s National Honor Society held a jean drive. The jean donations were part of a spring project in collaboration with Sole Hope, a team made up of Ugandans and Americans, who combat against jiggers and provide support for Ugandan children. 

For those who don’t know, jiggers are small parasites whose infections can result in pain, itching and infection. Because of jiggers, children are kept away from school, as well as basic movement such as walking and running. Adults aren’t able to go to work, and the elderly are kept in their homes. There’s even a widespread cultural belief that led to people with jiggers being shunned because of their “curse.” 

“Jeans are being used to make shoes for children in Uganda,” senior and treasurer of NHS Carly Walker said. “When [children] walk around with no shoes on they are very susceptible to get jiggers which are bugs that burrow into the skin and make it painful to walk.” 

Walker and her group worked on this project, thinking that this was a great idea. Templates from Sole Hope were used by students from NHS to cut the jeans. The pieces will then be sent over to Uganda, where they will be made into shoes and given to children who cannot afford them.

Jeans were dropped off at room 128 or room 111 after or before school. While the time to donate jeans is over, there are still other ways to help, such as donating to Sole Hope directly. 

With the jean donations, it could help positively contribute to a community in need, as well as raise awareness of the jiggers issue and involve a bigger audience. 

“Especially after this last year we really need to work together as a global community to solve these dire issues,” Walker said. “It is always important to give back to others since we are all so fortunate to not have to worry about issues so simple, like not having a pair of shoes.”

For more information, visit https://solehope.org to get a better understanding of what can be done to help Ugandan children.