Geoff and Yunisu

Those who have followed our blogs over the past 2 or 3 years will be aware of the story – at the same time both heart warming and heart rending – of a young 30ish man called Yunisu, of how he lost several years of schooling, how he grew up in totally impoverished circumstances in a village outside Junja.

In 2016 we met him at the village “end of trip” party and where moved to ask how we could help replace his callipers and shoes. The next stage was for him to rain in shoemaking and repair in Kempala. We then decided to fund the building of a workshops for Yunisu which was the outcome of fundraising for the 2019 trip, and was opened February 2019.

Fast forward to the present, I went to see Yunisu to catch up and chat, and to order a new pair of shoes for me to take home. I showed him the shoe I was wearing from which the following conversation took place: 

Geoff “Would you like to measure my shoe?”

Yunisu “No”

Geoff “Would you like to measure my feet?”

Yunisu “No”

Geoff “What colours leather do you have?”

Yunisu “Black”

Geoff “How will you know the size?”

Yunisu “I know”

Geoff “How much will it cost?”

Yunisu “I will tell you when I have finished..”

He also told me that business is ok, that he is making money and his best customer paid him 50,000 Ugandan Shillings (around £10.00) for a repair which only took 30 minuets!!

So I have ordered a pair of shoes of which I do not know the price, or the size – only the colour!!

But the team assure me they will fit perfectly and because we know, love and trust this lovely man I believe it too. I shall let you know more in due course!