More than 500 people — more than 400 of them youths — gathered in the hot sun Friday afternoon to watch as 20,000 pounds of shoes began their journey to Africa.

“People have just inundated us with shoes,” Harris said.

Hundreds of youths gathered at ExpoPark on Friday to load a U-Haul with 20,000 pounds of shoes, which will be sent to Africa.(Photo: Tribune Photo/Tiffany Aldinger)

She said when she would talk to volunteers, they would tell her, “Well, we don’t have many shoes, but we’ll bring what we have.”

First the used, wearable shoes will be sent to Tanzania, where they will help provide jobs. Workers in Tanzania will clean and resell the shoes. The money raised will then be used to fund projects in Burkina Faso, Harris said, including building wells and agricultural education.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from across the state have worked since May at collecting the shoes as part of a program with the nonprofit Power to Become, said Holly Harris, who oversaw the project.

Two countries in Africa will benefit from the footwear.

Burkina Faso is a poor, landlocked country, with a median age of 17, according to the CIA’s World Factbook. About 80 percent of the population is engaged in subsistence farming, and cotton is the main cash crop.

“It’s been a really successful day,” Harris said.