April 19 thru 25 is National Volunteer Week and 12-year-old Bilaal Rajan has issued the Barefoot Challenge. Since I’m a big supporter of the Slippah Fund, which provides flip-flops for underprivileged Hawaiian children every Christmas, I had to learn more about the challenge.

Bilaal Rajan is a very insightful boy. He’s done everything from selling clementines and cookies to benefit UNICEF to publishing a book on making positives changes in the world. Bilaal has raised over $5 million for various causes and is the youngest ambassador ever for UNICEF, and now his latest cause is the Barefoot Challenge. Not bad for a 12-year-old, huh?

This is an opportunity for all of us to “walk a mile in their shoes.” There are children all over the world that live in such poverty that shoes are a luxury, so spending a week barefoot is a small sacrifice that can really help spread the word. Just think of how many people will ask why you aren’t wearing shoes and each one is an opportunity to educate others on the Barefoot Challenge!

We should all be inspired by Bilaal and do everything we can make a positive impact on our world. It doesn’t take much. Just a week without shoes.