Is raising awareness enough?
As hundreds of thousands go without shoes today to raise awareness about the lack of shoes, a basic necessity in developing countries, some of us are raising the question: is that enough?
April 5th, 2011 | by Victoria Marzilli
Local shoe sellers at a market in Darfur, Sudan. Photo: Elizabeth Stevens / Oxfam America
Last week, my colleague Anna wrote a great article on TOMS founder, Blake Mycoskie, and noted the dynamic between socially-aware businesses and nonprofit organizations. There has been a lot of discussion recently about TOMS and their “One Day Without Shoes” campaign—which happens today—especially on social media sites like Twitter.
But have you heard about its counter-campaign: “A Day Without Dignity”? The latter argues that instead of talking about raising awareness and charity, we should highlight the inherent dignity of people and sustainable development.
So needless to say, I’ve been thinking a lot about shoes: TOMS shoes that is. I own a pair myself. When I bought them, I liked knowing that my purchase would help a child in need. But I’ve also been thinking about charity, awareness, and sustainable development. As hundreds of thousands go without shoes today to raise awareness about the lack of shoes, a basic necessity in developing countries, some of us are raising the question: is that enough?
As a social media professional and an employee (and supporter) of Oxfam, I’m torn between the two campaigns. I can clearly see the value of raising awareness, as well as the importance of for-profit organizations employing a socially responsible business model. But I also understand the difference between charity and long-term, sustainable solutions.
For example, contrast TOMS’ “shoe-drops” with what my colleague Coco wrote about the importance of locally made shoes in Ethiopia:
“Plastic shoes—slip-ons or sandals– play a central role in the lives of herders who spend their days mucking through corrals, traipsing across pastures filled with sharp grasses and prickles, and wading into streams and ponds to water their cattle….
For a long time, plastic products came from Kenya, Tibebu says, shipped in on the road we now roll down —the only one between Addis Ababa and the border. But these days, plastic jerry cans, baskets, and shoes are all made in Ethiopia, many of them manufactured in the capital. And when it comes to shoes, they provide never-ending service: People collect the cast-offs so they can be ground down and used to make whole new pairs.”
So I’m opening this question up to you: Is raising awareness enough? Does TOMS shoes portray the beneficiaries of their “shoe-drops” as people with dignity or charity cases? Is it just good “cause marketing”? Should we disapprove of their business model because it doesn’t do enough to be sustainable, or applaud them for integrating social responsibility into business?
I would love to hear your thoughts. Please comment or join in the conversation with us on Twitter.
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Victoria Marzilli
Victoria Marzilli is a New Media Specialist at Oxfam America focusing on social media. Her goal is to inspire, engage, and connect Oxfam supporters online. Find her on Twitter at @torimarzilli.
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well in a perfect world…but I think if you can get companies to be socially responsible in any way you take it…then you ask for more…then you ask for more again and again untill it is a perfect world
Victoria, I think these are such important questions you raise – I find myself struggling with them too. It is this struggle between good intentions and lasting solutions. Or another way I would phrase it is the difference between charity and justice. I don’t think it is at all an either/or argument, but they are really important distinctions to reflect on. Way I see it, awareness is the first step, action is the next (right) step. It is quite the balancing act though; trying to encourage businesses to do good, while giving them a push to do the ‘right’ sort of good. I’m all for the both/and and I think raising these questions brings the conversation closer to bearing some really purposeful, fruitful, and helpful results!
My 8 yr old granddaughter and her family gave me a pair of TOMS for my birthday and she wants me to select a pair just like hers. The first thing she said was that now two pairs of shoes will go to those who don’t have any. This is nurturing her compassionate heart in a way she can understand. She will be more open, therefore, to all ways of being both charitable and taking action to evolve a more loving and sustainable world.
Part of me feels like “why do we assume people in the developing world want or need to be just like us? Is development really better for them? What has rampant, constant explosive development and consumption done to us? Who are we to say that people have to wear shoes to be THEIR version of successful? Is this campaign going to result in Westerners purchasing something they don’t need, resulting in more unneccessary consumption? Are shoes what the recipients need, or would clean drinking water and anti-malarial drugs be more help?
Maybe we should focus on contributing to organizations like Earth Justice in eliminating corrupt and abusive mining and oil drilling practices in African nations. We could encourage private enterprises to donate a portion of their profits to organizations like Doctors Without Borders who provide health care, or the Heifer Project, who help families be independent and healthy where they are. We could strengthen and enforce laws requriing domestic apparel companies to pay living wages and stop abusive labor conditions regardless of where their factories are.
I think the good thing about Tom’s is that their approach is simple…a pair of shoes for a pair of shoes. However, I question the model that rewards consumption with more consumption.
These are important questions and I agree with John, if you can get companies to be socially responsible in some way, it is a start. I would like to see more focus on changing (downsizing) our lives here, as well as developing more self-sustaining lives in underdeveloped countries.
And of course, in my above comment I forgot to include “and contribute to Oxfam to enact Aid Reform worldwide”.
This is a critical issue that affects the poor worldwide.
The first I heard of TOMS’ day without shoes was in my high school classroom in Topeka Kansas, where some of my socially active students were going without shoes, creating a small stir among the faculty and their fellow students (who weren’t even sure if no-shoes is allowed in the school’s dress code). My first reaction was similar to yours: concerns that this campaign was meaningless in the big picture; that it fails to promote understanding of underlying needs…
On the other hand: It was undeniable that this WAS real action to my teenage students, who felt like they were doing something important. It strikes me that awareness campaigns like this are essential to involving those who are bound in a position where they don’t necessarily have control over their own lifestyle. Even if they cannot afford their own pair of TOMS’ shoes, TOMS (and other awareness campaigns) provide them with the opportunity to participate in making a better world, and to make a statement about their beliefs.
This gave me food for thought beyond my initial negative reaction, and especially raised this question: How can educators, and social media specialists, and awareness-raisers structure their campaigns in such a way that the “action” doesn’t stop with one single gesture, and that the campaigns beg further questions and further understanding of the world and its needs?
No, raising awareness is NOT enough. Raise it, yes, but then, RIGHT THERE ON THE SAME PAGE, let there be a way for readers go go beyond just being aware, to actually DOING something. Whatever the project, it should be available at several levels so that even the poorest reader could DO something. If there is just one level and the reader can’t spare that much, then they feel helpless and don’t want to hear about world problems they can’t do anything about.
Can’t be repeated enought: Awareness is always the first step, but not the only step. Every time I attend a fun environmemtal awareness event I realize at least one person( ME?) is going to change their behavior and do more with less to preserve our environment. Many of the people who participate in a day without shoes will never take another step; but others will become aware of and support NGO microgrants that allow local people to make their own “shoe companies” (like Rwanda Sustainable Families)” and support development of local economies. Someone else will give money to an organization like Corner of Love which brings shoes to Nicaraguan families to allow kids to go to school. And hopefully MANY will support Oxfam, which has done amazing work for so many years! You can’t be part of the solution until you own the problem and understand viscerally that when my neighbor is in need, there is imbalance and injustice in the world. Sometimes, oddly enough, we may first see that light while dancing barefoot laughing with our friends.
Wow – reading all of these comments is thrilling. Especially as I am literally wearing my TOMS shoes at this moment. I have to agree with the many of you (John A., Ellen, Miriam, Barb and Mary) who essentially communicate the same point; that awareness is a good first step, but it must be followed by a call-to-action for a smart, sustainable solution. I guess the next question is: Is giving shoes enough?
To thepixinator, I think you bring up a very good point, and that is the distinction between “consumption” and “development”. For people in developing countries, you’re right, they don’t need to “consume” like us, but they would probably benefit from development that would allow them to get access to basic rights, like clean water, medicine and education. Maybe TOMS shoes is giving them the ability to walk safely to water, medicine, and education? (And don’t forget that when it comes to protecting people’s rights against corrupt and abusive oil, gas, and mining companies, Oxfam is there too. Check out http://www.oxfamamerica.org/rights-resources).
These are all very valuable and insightful comments – so please keep the conversation alive with your friends and colleagues! We all need to know that raising awareness is only the first step.