We have decided to focus on Toms Shoes, founded by Blake Mycoskie as part of our citizenship 2 badgework.

2. WHAT IS POVERTY
• Is the general scarcity, or the state of
one who lacks a certain amount of
material possessions of money
• Includes social, economic, and political
elements
• Could refer to lack of means necessary
to meet basic needs such as food,
clothing and shelter

3. BLAKE MYCOSKIE
• Born August 26, 1976
• Entrepreneur, Author and philanthropist
• Founder of the for-profit company, TOMS shoes
• Attended Southern Methodist University on
tennis scholarship in 1995, and elected a dual
major in philosophy and business

4. TOMS SHOES
• Started in 2006 after Mycoskie visited Argentina
on vacation
• Met an American woman who was part of a
volunteer organization which provided shoes
for children in need
• Spent many days travelling from village to
village with the group

5. TOMS SHOES
• Mycoskie noticed that many children were
lacking shoes
• Later learnt that lacking shoes is a major
problem that impacts the youth in
underdeveloped nations
• Threatened the ability of children to go to
school and exposes them to risk of infection
• Inspired the founding of his company, TOMS
shoes

6. IMPACT OF TOMS SHOES
• In a controlled trial in El Salvador, 95% of
children there liked the shoes
• 77% of the children wore those shoes at least 3
days a week, and the most common response
by children was wearing them every day

7. CHALLENGES FACED
• Funding- he had to sell his online driver
education company for $500,000 to fund his
shoe company
• Needed to sell part of his stake in TOMS shoes
to keep his business of providing needy
children with essential items, up and running.

8. LEARNING POINTS
• We all have the power to improve the wellbeing
of others
• Simple acts such as buying a pair of shoes can
completely change someone’s life
• It’s the responsibility of blessed people to help
those lower on the social ladder, so as to make
those lives more meaningful