-
NextThought Monday: Want to end poverty? Bring financial education and empowerment to the youth, says Jeroo Billimoria
Until recently, the financial industry tended to dismiss the thought of young people as necessary customers. Many still feel that youth should be protected, that they don’t need to learn about finance until later in life. On the contrary: to eradicate poverty, we have to ensure that every child is financially capable and included, says Jeroo Billimoria of Child and Youth Finance International.
-
Can You Hear Me Yet?: mHealth breakthroughs not increasing as fast as the possibilities
How could mobile phones be even more important in the future, if most of the world already has one? Because one day soon they’ll be put to their highest use: saving millions of lives.
- Categories
- Health Care, Technology, Telecommunications
-
Micro-Franchising: How Business-in-a-Box Can Change Development: Why Jibu, a clean water franchise, sees power in local ownership
Micro-franchising lends the emerged market’s corporate advantage to local, emerging market entrepreneurs - propelling local innovations and adaptation. Jibu is piloting this model for clean water distribution. Why co-founder Galen Welsch thinks they may be onto something.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Social Enterprise
-
NextThought Monday: Why I’m optimistic about small-dollar credit in the U.S.
The dangers of payday loans and similar products are well-known: they are extremely expensive, often with triple-digit interest rates, and structured in a way that easily traps borrowers in a cycle of debt. Yet CFSI’s Beth Brockland sees cause for optimism in the small-dollar credit marketplace in the U.S. - and this optimism could extend to other developing markets.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
-
‘Software is Eating the World’ (Including the BoP): GIZ’s upcoming sector workshop nets ICT practice, progress
GIZ is hosting practitioner workshop Nov. 6-7 in Berlin focused on practical guidance for companies on how to leverage ICT to improve their inclusive business models. It builds on the previous BoP Sector Dialogues and is particularly geared towards company representatives from the ICT, energy, pharmaceutical, agricultural, microfinance and microinsurance sectors.
- Categories
- Technology, Telecommunications
-
Sustainable Farming Needs Sustainable Finance: How Rainforest Alliance helps the environment by helping farmers get loans
Lenders consider agriculture to be particularly risky. Farms are often located in remote areas, crops are vulnerable to pests and unpredictable weather, and prices are susceptible to rapid changes. To help address these challenges, the Rainforest Alliance launched its Sustainable Finance Initiative, which helps farmers and SMEs access different types of loans.
- Categories
- Agriculture
-
Applying ICT to Education in Africa: While Internet access expands, energy access is waning
Africa has largely leapfrogged through several technological innovations – such as the landline phone – in the last 20 years. The rapid pace of development has also led to the spread of ICTs without the infrastructure to support widespread adoption. Many developing countries lack consistent access to energy.
- Categories
- Technology, Telecommunications
-
Ripe for Innovation: CGAP CEO Tilman Ehrbeck, On How New Approaches to Financial Services for the Poor Are Overcoming a Massive Market Failure
As part of NextBillion Financial Innovation’s launch, we invited a number of top innovators and leaders to contribute their views on financial innovation – what’s driving it, where momentum is heading, and what obstacles remain. Today Tilman Ehrbeck, CEO of CGAP, explores why financial exclusion has persisted at the BoP, and how innovation is turning this around.
- Categories
- Finance
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.