Check out this interesting article from NextBillion.net about Oliberté. Of particular note, is the social enterprise the company employs, which has a different twist than that of TOMS (which has received some criticism, despite its good intentions). Instead of one-for-one handouts given away for free, the company relies on local resources and labor, directly contributing to welfare and growth of local economies.

Specifically, as the article points out, Oliberté is “the first company to make premium shoes in Africa using African materials and explicitly linking shoes sold by Western retailers to job creation on the continent.”

Interesting stuff, and a very solid business model that benefits everyone from the beginning of the product cycle, to the end consumer.

(Image sourced from Oliberté’s blog.)