One Day Without Shoes
Thursday is One Day Without Shoes day, a day to spread awareness about children developing preventable feet conditions. By not wearing shoes for one day gives you the opportunity to walk in the steps of these children in developing nations.
On the 8th of April is ‘one day without shoes’. This day is spreading awareness about how a pair of shoes can impact positively in a child’s life.
Organisers of this event are asking people to go without their shoes for a day. If a day is not possible then a few hours or however long you can.
http://www.onedaywithoutshoes.com
Here are some facts about children who don’t have shoes:
• In some developing nations, children must walk for miles to school, clean water and to seek medical help.
• Cuts and sores on feet can lead to serious infection.
• Often, children cannot attend school barefoot.
• In Ethiopia, approximately one million people are suffering from Podoconiosis, a debilitating and disfiguring disease caused by walking barefoot in volcanic soil.
• Podoconiosis is 100% preventable with basic foot hygiene and wearing shoes.
I can’t imagine what it would be like to walk many kilometers across rough surfaces barefoot each day to fetch water. In the future children in developing countries may have to walk further if their water sources change because of climate change.
A simple solution to this problem is to give these children shoes. One company doing this is TOMS Shoes. For every pair of shoes you buy they give a pair to children in need. To find out more here is their website.
Remember “Habits made today will help life tomorrow.”
