TOMS Shoes » podoconiosis

podo patients: the biggest advocates for podo prevention

jshortall — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:14:42 +0000

On a recent trip to Ethiopia, I visited a number of podo clinics doing incredible work. One of the coolest innovations I’ve seen in podo treatment is training recovered podo patients to do outreach to new patients. At one such program, I met a woman who was well on her way to recovery – her feet fit into normal-sized shoes and the disease was no longer affecting her daily life as it had before. This woman was training new podo patients on the simple washing and cleaning techniques that can bring results in a matter of months. With her was her daughter, who was no more than three years old. While watching her mother give the training, this little girl was wearing a pair of shoes that TOMS had provided.

When I asked about the girl’s shoes, the clinic director translated and her mother replied that, having lived through the suffering, isolation, and stigma that podo brings with it, she was determined to keep her daughter’s feet protected from the soil. For this woman, shoes for her child are one of the most valuable resources in the world. We find this attitude is common among podo patients who have children, grandchildren, or younger siblings. If shoes are available, these patients are committed to ensuring that the children wear those shoes and wash the soil off their feet and legs every day. However, most podo patients are so financially poor to begin with, and so further economically impacted by the disease, that purchasing shoes for themselves or their children simply is not an option.

And that’s why we do what we do. We’re making great strides in Ethiopia, and I look forward to sharing many more stories and special moments with you here on the blog!

Signing off from the front lines of the One for One movement,

Jessica

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u of a educates students on podo and “why ethiopia?”

admin — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:18:59 +0000

This past week, the TOMS Campus Club at U of A and the SIFE Business Club teamed up to educate students about Podoconiosis and help TOMS put more shoes on children’s feet. The club members built and placed three installations on campus with facts about Podo and what students can do to get involved with the One for One movement. Earlier in the week, over 350 students gathered on campus, along with the U of A Wildcat mascot, for a one mile barefoot walk with Hanson. The guys even played a free show at the bookstore afterwards and hung out with fans to sign autographs. The major event, held Thursday November 12 and titled U of A Gives Back, Why Ethiopia?, recruited students from all over campus to come have their TOMS customized and soak up the sunshine with like-minded classmates. 18 artists were there hand-painting shoes, creating “some of the best custom TOMS I’ve ever seen!” said TOMS Campus Manager Autumn Petersen. At the end of the week, over 400 pairs of TOMS were sold, guaranteeing over 400 matched pairs for children in need.

Maddi, a past TOMS HQ intern, the TOMS Campus Club, and the SIFE Business Club did an extraordinary job at planning and executing a successful, fun, and memorable campus event. Kudos from TOMS HQ!

To see more photos on Facebook click here!

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sean’s trip to ethiopia

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:43:51 +0000

Sean Scott, TOMS Chief Shoe Maker (aka Product Development Leader), travels to Ethiopia to learn more about how TOMS can serve the community in providing the most appropriate shoes. These clips, from November 2008 and June 2009, follow Sean as he looses his luggage, explores new potential factories, and meets with local partners.

In case you missed the TOMS segment on the CBS Evening News last night, visit the links below to learn more about TOMS efforts in Ethiopia and Friends of TOMS support of those stricken with Podoconiosis.

Photo Gallery – Video – Article

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TOMS is helping Friends of TOMS win “america’s giving challenge”

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:15:05 +0000

We know that TOMS has the most loyal and generous supporters around, and now we want to prove it to America! Help us win $50,000 for Friends of TOMS to go on more TOMS Shoe Drops and fight Podo.

We have until November 6^th to show everyone how incredible TOMS supporters are and all it takes is a small sacrifice from each of you. Can you pass up a sandwich and a drink to help someone walk again? How about that movie on Friday night? All it takes is $10 to help us win America’s Giving Challenge, a Facebook Cause contest, which awards the nonprofit with the highest number of donations from now until the end of the contest on November 6^th.

The total amount donated doesn’t matter! We just need to have more TOMS fans donate more often than supporters for other nonprofits in order to earn $50,000 for Friends of TOMS. Ten TOMS supporters giving $10 is better than one giving $100. And TOMS supporters are already so good at giving. They do it every time they shop for new TOMS!

So please help us by donating the money you usually use for dessert , laundry (we won’t tell), or lose in the couch to help us fight disease and get more shoes to children in need.

Here is how the contest works. Go to the TOMS Facebook page to find the link to America’s Giving Challenge and donate.

Each day, the nonprofit with the highest number of donations wins $1000, and on November 6^th, whichever non-profit has had the highest number of total unique donations wins $50,000. This money can help us help so many people in need of treatment for Podoconiosis and put shoes on the feet of so many children who do not have any, so please think about what a simple $10 donation can do. You can give a small amount and still have a huge impact!

We need your help EVERY DAY of this contest!

Thank You!

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ready for our longest, most powerful blog ever?!?

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:10:56 +0000

Friends,

As I wait to board my flight back home after 16 days in Africa, I am consumed with emotions, children’s faces, funny memories and visions of the future. I am alone right now, but feel deeply connected to each of the volunteers, camera men and women and friends who I spent my time with the past few weeks, and I feel especially connected to each of the TOMS family members I will be returning to. I believe each of us has a mission in life, and that one cannot truly be living their most fulfilled life until they recognize this mission and dedicate their life to pursuing it. Sometimes one lasts for two weeks or two months, or possibly 20 years. I have given my life to several over the past 33 years, but none of them have resonated so deeply with my soul as the one I am currently pursuing. This mission is not singular in its track, but consists of several evolving pursuits interconnected by the TOMS movement. I would like to share each of those with you in hopes that you will continue to support me and hold me accountable in fulfilling them.

Click here to read more from Blake’s letter.

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off to ethiopia

bmycoskie — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:07:29 +0000

I’ve spent the past week attending the Clinton Global Initiative conference in NYC for the third year in a row. As with last year, I walk in to this conference with such an incredible level of respect for the individuals who participate and who are making a considerable impact on the world. But also, just as last year, my expectations are blown away. The goals that are created, and the reflections on past successes are beyond inspiring. If I could bottle an ounce of the inspiration that is brewed at this conference to give to each of you, the world would be in damn good shape in about a day. They open our eyes to the multitude of issues and challenges and hardships that drastically affect lives of all types of people. But beyond discussing the issues, this is the place where action items are created, organizations hold each other accountable, and change is realized. That’s what keeps TOMS coming back.

Met up with Jessica Alba + Cash Warren who are also doing amazing work at CGI. They’re both such wonderful people!

Today, I board a plane to another place I’m very excited about, Ethiopia. TOMS began an initiative there in 2008 providing shoes to children at risk for an awful disease called Podoconiosis. I’ve relayed to my team back at HQ how passionate I am about this initiative, and I could barely sleep last night knowing that in less that 24 hours, I will be able to experience our work there with my own 5 senses. The coming weeks will be spent far away from marketing meetings, emails and rigorous schedules, and close to the need, the disease and the people.

As much as I’m looking forward to the experiences and education over the next month, I’m also looking forward to my return and sharing these things with all of you.

Signing off, and Carpe Diem.

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help us reach our goal: 30k in 30 days

admin — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:33:42 +0000

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blog actionday: today!

admin — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:56:46 +0000

Today is Blog Action Day and this year’s topic is Poverty. After logging on the site and browsing through some of the participating blogs (there are over 11,000- isn’t that incredible?!), I was pretty inspired. This call to action is reaching over 12 million blog readers around the world. All of these people are taking 10 minutes out of their day, one day out of the year, to raise awareness on an issue that we all wish to remedy. Social media on the web is giving every one of us the opportunity to be part of a movement towards a different world; to speak out; to educate each other; to rally around promoting change. I think we’re all starting to realize how simple it can be… A wedding blogging site I looked through was discussing how to incorporate giving back into a wedding day (“Donate unused food or cake from your wedding to local shelters or soup kitchens.”); others are giving the facts: “Approximately 790 million people in the developing world are still chronically undernourished;” even techie blogs are making incredibly simple suggestions, “Donate $1 for every 1,000 page views or visitors to your blog or website in a given time period (i.e. one month).” Some have even called out TOMS!

Poverty is an issue very close to TOMS. If the world were a community of 100 people, 40 would not have shoes. Children who cannot afford shoes are susceptible to infection, disease, cuts: conditions that they most likely cannot afford to address. In Ethiopia, it is estimated that eleven million people are considered at risk for a Podoconiosis; a disease caused by walking or working barefoot in silica-heavy volcanic soil. Podo causes extreme swelling, repeated ulcers, and deformity, especially in the legs. This creates a large public health problem in at least ten countries in tropical Africa, Central America and northern India, with between 500,000 and 1,000,000 people already affected. The solution? Shoes. Starting in 2008, TOMS Shoes will begin working to prevent this disease by giving durable footwear to all early-stage and at-risk children in the hazardous areas of Ethiopia. The shoes donated will be different than the traditional TOMS Shoes, adapted to best prevent exposure to the volcanic soil.

I encourage you to check out , or think about how to take one small step (even if its only for today) towards ending poverty in our world.

Please leave us comments about what steps you will take to raise awareness or initiate action!

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