Among the many socially conscious footwear brands striving to provide economic empowerment and help the people of developing nations, one Canadian shoe company is taking a different approach by focusing all its manufacturing and sourcing in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Liberia. Oliberté Footwear’s intent is to help shore up a much-underdeveloped middle class by providing thousands of jobs and encouraging manufacturers from other industries to work in Africa.
Oliberté carefully selects each of their partner factories ensuring they take care of their employees and the environment. Women comprise nearly 50% of the employees, including junior and senior administrative positions. All partner factories exceed local labor standards and workers are provided current benefits, tea breaks and women are provided job security with maternity leave.
About one year after launching they have produced more than 10,000 pairs of shoes, you can check them out here, http://www.oliberte.com/shoes/.
-Martina Georgieva
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