More than 200.000 pairs of shoes for Pakistan – Kuehne + Nagel supports relief initiative

In cooperation with well-known shoe manufacturers, and under the patronage of the Boris Becker and H. D. Cleven foundation, 189 specialist shoe dealers in Germanyappealed to customers to donate shoes for Pakistan. For every pair of shoes handed in by the public, retailers contributed an additional new pair.

Kuehne + Nagel logistically supported the relief initiative. Free of cost, the company handled collection from retailers of the more than 200,000 pairs of shoes donated, container stuffing, customs clearance, and shipment in 11 high cube containers from Duisburg inland port via Rotterdam to Karachi, where the relief goods are scheduled to arrive on February 18, 2006.

Local distribution will be managed by the National Rural Support Programme NWFP, which has at its disposal a network that has also been used by numerous international relief organisations and the UN for the distribution of aid to the earthquake victims.

The Pakistani government has expressed its thanks for the many donations, calling the initiative a valuable humanitarian effort in the wake of the devastating earthquake of October 8, 2005.