If you're wandering around the streets Tuesday wondering, "Why the heck are people barefoot?," rest assured there's a very good reason for this bold (if slightly dirty) sartorial statement. April 10 is TOMS One Day Without Shoes -- a day which aims to raise awareness about the importance of shoes in our everyday lives, and especially to those who don't have them.
The stats are staggering: 30,000 people live in just one landfill in the Philippines, where children walk over broken glass, syringes and debris. Almost two million million Kenyan children are infected with jiggers, burrowing fleas that cause painful lesions; and 740 million people are affected by hookworm, a soil-transmitted parasite that can cause intestinal pain, weakness and cognitive impairment. These numbers could go down significantly if those affected had footwear, but all too often, they don't.
Last year, more than 1,000 AOLers went barefoot in honour of the day. And this year, we want you to join us in the conversation. Are you ready to show us those pretty toes and socks? Please send your images to CanadaStyle@huffingtonpost.com or tweet at us @HuffPostCaStyle. Wednesday we'll show you how everyone here at AOL/The Huffington Post marked One Day Without Shoes. Register for the event by clicking here.