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The Muslim Student Association will present the first One Day Without Shoes. The event will be at San Jose City College on April 5 from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

One Day Without Shoes is a day to empathize a lack of shoes in less developing nations. Any student can walk around barefoot on the day to walk around campus.

In countries across the globe, many children have no other option but to walk barefoot. The effect of children becoming susceptible to injury, infection and soil-transmitted diseases.

Treatments is often difficult and hard to get with the expense of drugs, often being too high to afford basic needs for shoes, according to the TOMS website, the sponsor of the One Day Without Shoes.

Specifically, in Ethiopia, where shoes are a status symbol, more than a million children are suffering from an incapacitating disease, podoconiosis, which causes disfiguration, swelling, and deformity, says the TOMS website. Meanwhile, podoconiosis is completely preventable by wearing shoes and having basic feet hygiene.

To raise awareness for this devastating reality, TOMS Shoes annually hosts One Day Without Shoes, a day when people all around the world are encouraged to take off their shoes and experience what less fortunate children go through.

More than 1,600 events are held across the nation and more than 250,000 people attended and participated in 2010 according to the website.

During this national event, students can sign up for pledges in the General Education Quad where all proceeds will go to Soles4Souls, which donates a pair of shoes for every dollar spent at the event.

“I’m going to try to go without shoes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,” said Sagal Jama, a student attending SJCC. During that time, she will be walking to classes without shoes. At around 1p.m. there will be a rally around campus along with all students who want to help promote the cause.

“My friends and I are going without shoes for One Day Without Shoes,” Maimona Afzal said, “It might be cold. It will probably be uncomfortable, and our feet will certainly get dirty, but by doing so, we will help raise awareness of the impact a simple pair of shoes can bring to a child’s life. The idea is to initiate positive change; taking the curiosity posed by going barefoot and transforming it into action.”