Rotimi Akinnuoye conceived the vision for Global Soles while on a mission trip to South Africa in August of 2007, with his church, Emmanuel Baptist Church of Brooklyn, New York (Rev. Anthony L.Trufant, Senior Pastor). While in South Africa touring and working in various sites, Akinnuoye noticed the vast number of children running, playing and walking around during that country's winter with no shoes on their feet. The weather was cold and the streets were unpaved and dirty. In addition, he observed many shoeless women in these townships. These women are burdened with the responsibility of caring for their children, husbands and communities through various shanties with no head or insulation. He shared his vision with Oluwakemi (Kemi) Sosanya, a medical professional, who further observed that walking barefoot on rocky, dirt roads exposes their feet to rusty metals and glass, urine, feces and various bacteria which could lead to acute infection including gangrene and/or amputations. Sosanya immediately signed on to the project and is now Global Sole's vice president.