-
Relief Through Finance: How microfinance builds resilience to disasters and crises
After a natural disaster or other crisis, like Nepal’s recent earthquake, the relief and aid community inevitably plays a major role. But according to Sam Mendelson, there is also a vital role for microfinance, which can help restore livelihoods and provide resilience to vulnerable populations thanks to existing relationships with clients that foreign NGOs lack.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
-
Creating Your Own Luck: 5 Crowdfunding Tips for Social Entrepreneurs
Whether it involves smart watches or potato salad, it seems that every week brings another story of a crowdfunding campaign gone viral. And with $16.2 billion in annual funding, the industry represents a valuable opportunity for social enterprises large and small. Here are five tips that can help a social business launch a successful campaign.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
-
The Power of Texting: How a Simple Text Message Can Make the Difference Between Success and Failure for Social Initiatives
Mobile phones are increasingly prevalent throughout the world, and researchers have found that sending text message reminders can help people follow through with their intentions, significantly increasing the success of development interventions. Roxanne Bauer explores the impact of text reminders on malaria treatment and savings initiatives, and discusses the science behind the approach.
- Categories
- Health Care, Impact Assessment, Technology, Telecommunications
-
Going Digital Sustainably: How microfinance providers can balance business needs, technology constraints and the customer value proposition
A strong digital financial services model can reduce distribution costs and increase revenue for financial institutions that serve the poor. But the transition to digital requires an understanding of the full implications of the new service, and a strategy to encourage customer behaviors that will yield a successful investment. Grameen Foundation offers tips in the latest post in their series on what it takes for MFIs to go digital.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Tags
- microfinance
-
Weekly Roundup – the Social Enterprise: Solution to the Migrant Crisis
The San Francisco-based Not For Sale is a nonprofit that works with the victims of human trafficking, providing them with job training, counseling and other resources that help them enter a legitimate work environment. NSF’s work, and that of its business incubator, might be a model to emulate considering this week’s tragedy in the Mediterranean, which claimed the lives of hundreds of migrant workers.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
-
More Than Just Good Advertising: Challenges and best practices in driving digital financial services adoption
Despite the large sums of money being poured into digital financial services around the world, enrollment and usage remain low. Few services reach those who need them most. Grameen Foundation researchers Emilia Klimiuk and Joel Muhumuza have studied why, and they share several tactics to drive adoption.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
-
In Ghana, the Diaspora is Fueling a Social Enterprise Liftoff : Often well-funded, well-educated returnees are contributing to a ‘brain gain’
Social enterprise in Ghana is taking off and Ghanaians returning from living and studying abroad are playing a key role. But are there lessons from the returning diaspora that could strengthen social enterprise activity even more? A recent British Council and ODI study explores the landscape.
- Categories
- Education, Social Enterprise
-
Weekly Roundup: Small victories in the garbage war, but e-waste looms ominously
One man’s trash is another man’s ticket to a healthier planet. Or to an early grave. Yet we’re seeing more innovations at the nexus of waste and commerce.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Tags
- waste
Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter, "NextBillion Notes"
Published each Wednesday, our e-newsletter features NextBillion's latest original articles, along with a selection of news, jobs, bizdev opportunities and events from our recent coverage — and regular conference ticket giveaways.
We respect your privacy. Your information is safe and will never be shared.
Don't miss out. Subscribe today.