AEKE Foundation’s Sneakers for Sweepers: Community Outreach Delivers Comfort and Dignity to Abuja’s City Workers

About 100 street sweepers and waste collectors received new footwear and sustenance support in a heartwarming outreach campaign held in June 2025.

Abuja, Nigeria — July 12, 2025

In a gesture of appreciation, care, and support, AEKE Foundation successfully concluded its “Sneakers for Sweepers” outreach program in June 2025. The initiative provided quality sneakers to about 100 municipal street sweepers and waste collectors across the Maitama area of AMAC Local Government Area of Abuja in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. This outreach served to recognize, appreciate and care for the street managers, promoting comfort, health, and dignity for the individuals who work tirelessly to keep the city clean.

The purpose of the initiative was to supply foot protection for the sweepers and waste collectors covering the Maitama region of Abuja, FCT Nigeria. This largely unseen but critical mass of individuals serve to keep our roads clean, clear and safe for human and vehicular traffic. Yet they face countless risks of harm and risks to their health through the use of suboptimal footwear during the execution of their daily duties. As one of the recipients testified, they consistently record harm from broken bottles, nails, other sharp objects, insect bites as well as other bodily injury as they work to remove waste, dirt and debris from the roads.

Further to this main goal was a desire to support their living, feeding and welfare through the provision of basic food items and meal preparation ingredients such as mudus of rice, garri, milk, seasoning cubes as well as other condiments.

The laudable project was executed by a team of over 25 volunteers led by Mrs Juliet C. Eke, the convener and brain behind the outreach. Donations were received from several well-meaning individuals from across Nigeria and the world.

The event program was not limited to the distribution of items. The three-hour event comprised a posture and foot care session by a chiropractor, and an encouraging keynote address by the renowned Prof. Nana Tanko. Prof. Nana, who is committed to the care and upliftment of the downtrodden in society through her work within the social impact space across Africa, helped the attendees see the impact and value of their work through new eyes. Her charge to the women served as a motivation to be more and do more.

Other activities in the day’s event were dance aerobic sessions filled with fun and laughter, all in a bid to help the women feel truly valued and appreciated.

Several recipients shared how receiving new sneakers gave them renewed motivation and a sense of being valued. Sarah Musa, one of the sweepers and recipients, with exhilarating joy, expressed immense gratitude for the distributed items. In her words, “We don’t have anything to say, it’s only to thank her. Na only God go reward her, more and more in Jesus name.”

The volunteer in charge of distributing food items to the women, delighted to be a part of the event, shared this: “One thing I like about this initiative is seeing that people can be happy even with the smallest things. Seeing our mothers happy blows my mind.”

“This outreach is a small token of love for those who serve us daily, often without recognition,” said Juliet C. Eke, Project Director.

AEKE Foundation plans to continue this initiative quarterly across the districts and local government areas of the FCT, with plans to expand to other states, and welcomes donations and volunteers for future editions. The Foundation is also open to collaboration and partnerships with organizations to deploy similar outreaches in other states as part of their CSR contribution to their communities.

For more information, partnership, contribution or collaboration, please contact:
Name: Juliet C. Eke
Email: info.sneakers4sweepers@gmail.com
Phone: +234 706 312 7924
Website: aekefoundation.org