One may spend countless hours worrying about the many struggles in life, but rarely ever think twice about the shoes you wear and the

importance of them. Children in developing countries grow up barefoot, putting them at risk for diseases and long-term physical harm due to painful and dangerous wounds that become infected. A lot of times, these children are unable to attend school if they do not have shoes either because it’s required for uniforms or due to rain that causes mud. Mud can begin a disease called podoconiosis, also known as “Mossy Foot.” Continual bearing of unclothed feet shows that one in 20 people have an unpleasant inflammation. Something so little such as shoes limits a youth’s opportunity to receive an education and grow, as well as affecting his or her health.

In 2006, Blake Mycoskie explored Argentina and recognized that the children had no shoes to protect their feet. The ongoing issue inspired Blake to do something big: something that would change lives. He created TOMS Shoes, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. TOMS Company calls this One for One. Blake kept his promise and returned to Argentina with a group of family, friends, and staff later that year with 10,000 pairs of shoes made possible by TOMS customers and hand delivered them to children in need.

April 10 is a worldwide movement called A Day without Shoes. Last year, people went without shoes at over 1,000 events in over 25 countries around the globe. At the University of New Haven, Habitat for Humanity club had an event to spread awareness and answer any questions about TOMS and the movement. Several students went barefoot for the day, while others showed their support by wearing Toms shoes. The idea of being barefoot not only gives insight on what it’s like to be without something of importance, but also to grab others attention. This allows people to ask questions and learn about an important issue they may not have known about. Habitat for Humanity hopes to put on a Relay for Life next year and give students the opportunity to continue learning and be a part of the A Day Without Shoes movement.