International social enterprise inspires restaurant partnership

Pots 'n Pans, a restaurant showcasing "innovative Vietnamese cuisine" as the website describes, is not your typical restaurant. Pots 'n Pans actually exists because of a partnership between KOTO, a social enterprise, KOTO Alumni, and Small Giants, an Australian investment social enterprise. Each party brings their unique talents to the partnership. For KOTO, it was their branding, KOTO Alumni their passion, skills, experience, and network, and Small Giants, their capital investment.
 
The Pots 'n Pans partnership is an example of how the beneficiaries of services, provided by a service-oriented organization such as a social enterprise, can become empowered and use the skills gained to truly change the course of their lives.  

See the links to learn more about the Pots 'n Pans restaurant partnership and each of the partners.

• Pots 'n Pans restaurant website http://potsnpans.vn/  
• More information about Pots 'n Pans http://www.koto.com.au/pots-n-pans 
• KOTO website http://www.koto.com.au/ 
• Small Giants website http://www.smallgiants.com.au/

Oxfam America releases new report on the politics of partnership

Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization, released a report on Tuesday aimed at providing recommendations for future US government and aid recipient countries relations.  The report titled "The politics of partnership: How donors manage risk while letting recipients lead their own development" studies the donor-recipient partnerships in Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Malawi, and Tanzania and offers nine steps that donors can take to "pursue partnership and manage risk". Click here to read the report. 

The report overall seems to have some very good recommendations for navigating the politics that comes about in partnerships. Giving aid although a noble act in the face of disaster and poor living conditions, is only as useful as the ownership and empowerment of the people that the aid is meant for. A lack in either, and the money is susceptible to misuse or outright corruption.