<P> Employees of TOMS travel to different countries on "Giving Trips" to deliver shoes to children in person . In 2006, Toms distributed 10,000 pairs of shoes in Argentina . In November 2007, the company distributed 50,000 pairs of shoes to children in South Africa . As of April 2009, Toms had distributed 140,000 pairs of shoes to children in Argentina, Ethiopia, South Africa as well as children in the United States . As of 2012, Toms has given away over one million pairs of shoes in 40 countries . </P> <P> Students attending colleges across the United States have created TOMS campus clubs . As of March 20, 2014, 281 campus clubs existed in the United States with another dozen located in Canada . By comparison, another nonprofit organization known as Lions Club International was established in 1917 and is known for working to ending the cause of blindness, reports 400 Lions' campus clubs in 42 countries . </P> <P> In 2009 Toms partnered with the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project to create limited edition shoes, and used profits to benefit education and medical support in remote areas of Africa suffering from AIDS outbreaks . Toms has also produced shoes with a handlebar mustache symbol in place of the traditional Toms symbol in support of the Movember Foundation . Toms is a supporter of the charity charity: water, with which it has partnered with for several years, including its WaterForward project, which aims to bring clean water to underdeveloped countries . An additional partner charity is FEED, a charity where a consumer will purchase a pair of shoes and the company will donate twelve meals to impoverished schools in addition to a pair of shoes for impoverished children . </P> <P> The major mission of Toms is that a business, rather than a charity, would help their impact last longer . In his speech at the Second Annual Clinton Global Initiative Mycoskie states that his initial motivation was a disease called podoconiosis--a debilitating and disfiguring disease which causes one's feet to swell along with many other health implications . Also known as "Mossy Foot", podoconiosis is a form of elephantiasis that affects the lymphatic system of the lower legs . The disease is a soil - transmitted disease caused by walking in silica - rich soil . Toms currently works with factories nearby where they perform some of their shoe drops . </P>

When did toms shoes enter the foreign market