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When my sister saw the TOMS Shoes One For One slogan on the brand’s website, she became curious on what it was all about. When I told her that whenever somebody buys a pair of TOMS shoes, the company gives another pair for free to a child in need, she was surprised that a big business would do that. She was puzzled as why somebody would give out shoes as donations. I then explained that shoes are apparently important in a child’s health. As children in developing countries mostly walk barefoot to school, they need shoes to protect their feet from cuts and abrasions. Roads in these types of countries are not expected to be cemented or well kept, so the children would have to struggle with mud, rocks and the heat. Walking in such hazardous conditions without the protection that footwear provides can be too much for a child. Imagine walking barefoot in wet roads and having to struggle with sharp rocks. And if there’s no rain and you only have the scorching heat of the sun to deal with, the hot road can be quite painful on your feet’s soles. It can be argued that walking barefoot everyday can toughen up the soles but it still does not protect the foot from parasites like hookworms and the like. Moreover, if these kids injure themselves, they would not be able to go to school and thereby miss the opportunity to become educated. When my sister still looked bewildered after that long explanation of mine, I tried to explain it in a lot more simple way: Shoes protect a child’s feet from the harsh elements, thereby sparing him or her from injuries. And when injury free, the child is considered healthy and can readily go to school. The school then provides education which will give her the opportunity to have a better tomorrow. As we all know, education is always the key to ending poverty.