This was a collaborative project completed alongside Alani Fadzil and Lauren Joseph. The project involved creating a template for people in less developed countries to make their own footwear using local materials available to them. The case study chosen was Rwanda, even though this is one of the smallest countries in Africa it is one of the most densely populated. From thorough research it became apparent that a lack of footwear was leading to diseases caught through the feet.
Rwanda has an abundance of tyres, a durable, flexible, waterproof material, which was suitable to be used for the sole of the shoe. Burlap sacks (used to import and export their produce) and hemp rope were other accessible materials that would be used to complete the footwear. Through many design alterations and product testing the footwear was developed to reach a final design.
The template, created from recyclable polypropylene, would be placed directly on the cut tyre piece. The template shows a variety of shoe sizes, the user can find their shoe size by placing their foot on the template. Once their shoe size is determined, the user can follow the step by step illustrations and using the list of accessible tools to cut out the sole of the shoe. After the sole has been cut out, there are further instructions to make the back strap from the burlap sacks, sewn using hemp rope.
Local people would be shown how to make the shoe and this information would be passed on throughout the community, and thus creating business. There are unlimited possibilities as to the materials they could use, the tyres, burlap sacks and hemp rope are just a starting point, they can alter the design and materials to their own preference.