タオルやTシャツなど捨てられてしまう生地を使い布ぞうりを作っている工藤賀子さん。この取り組みは東日本大震災の復興支援がきっかけでスタート。工藤さんたちが手掛ける布ぞうりは、色鮮やかで履き心地がよく洗濯も可能で人気に。作る数にノルマがないので、病気や介護に悩む人たちの就労支援や地域のコミュニティづくりにもつながっています。今後も、多くの社会課題を解決するきっかけになればと語る工藤さんの思い描く未来とは？

Ms. Noriko Kudo makes cloth sandals using fabric that would otherwise be thrown away, such as towels and T-shirts. This initiative was started as a means of supporting the recovery efforts in the wake of The Great East Japan Earthquake. The cloth sandals that Ms. Kudo and her team make are popular because they are colorful, comfortable to wear, and machine washable. As they have no production quota for the sandals, they can help support employment for people suffering from illnesses or in nursing care and help build the local community. Ms. Kudo says she hopes to continue to be a spark for solving various social issues. What kind of future does she envision?