I’m so happy to part of the 5th Celebration of TOMS One Day Without Shoes campaign here in the Philippines, and 8th globally! The event was held at Track 30th Park in BGC, where participants walked barefoot so children won’t have to. It was a mini fair with participation of Macho Nacho, Phatboys Handcrafted Ice Cream Sandwiches, Hattendo Japanese Cream Buns, Wingstop, and Pink Berry. Entertainment was provided by the drum circle of the Adinkra Lumads Djembe Community, and the poi and hula hoop dancers and flow arts performers of Planet Zips.
They also had social media campaign where all you need is to take a photo of your barefoot, post it on your Instagram, encourage your friends / followers to do the same thing, and hashtag #withoutshoes. 1 post is equivalent to 1 pair of shoes for a child in need. People from all over the world joined the campaign and there are exactly 296,243 posts which means, 296,243 children will receive a new pair of shoes so they don’t have to walk barefoot anymore. TOMS has given away 1 million pairs of shoes to children way back 2010!
We experienced walking barefoot on gravel, sand, and soil. I remember when I was a child, there are times when I love walking without shoes nor slippers. Aside from we had that phase in our childhood days where we are just so lazy to get and wear slippers, but I also love that I feel the surface of the earth under my feet.
Enjoyed the day with these peeps, Kim, Phya, and Chessika.
Poi, Hulahoop Dancers, Flow chart performers
There were great entertainment and snacks around the area.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to join them in walking around BGC barefoot since I had a scheduled meeting to attend to in the evening, but I heard it was really fun and everyone enjoyed the tour around the neighborhood of BGC. The cars patiently waited for the whole crowd to pass and traffic marshals ensured the safety of all the participants.
Aside from the One Day Without Shoes campaign, TOMS has 4 more product lines (shoes, eyewear, bags, and coffee) and campaigns that we can support. For every pair of TOMS that you purchase, they will give 1 new pair to a barefoot child. For every purchase of their eyewear, TOMS helps to restore sight to individuals through sight-saving surgery, prescription glasses, or medical treatment.
I admire TOMS for doing everything to make their One for One Movement always a success. They are not just a brand and trendsetters, through their campaigns, they help communities and touches our lives especially those who are in need.
Let me know if you took part of this campaign as well! If not yet, I hope we can see each other for next year’s #WithoutShoes event!