-
Digital Inclusion by Way of Backpack: A Q&A with Imcon International CEO Rob Loud
Internet access has the potential to transform livelihoods in a myriad of ways – and financial inclusion, entrepreneurship and education are just a few of the sectors that stand to benefit. However, despite growing global internet use, billions in rural, hard-to-reach areas still lack access, representing a massive missed opportunity. In this Q&A, Imcon International CEO Rob Loud shares how his company is partnering with governments and NGOs to increase connectivity in the last mile through an affordable, simple device – the humble backpack.
- Categories
- Education, Social Enterprise, Technology
-
From Beneficiary to Customer: 40K Transitions from School-building Charity to Edtech Social Enterprise
It took five years for 40K to build its first school in India. Over that time, the organization learned a lot about the key barriers that were preventing quality education from proliferating in rural areas. Over the next two years, 40K transformed from a school-building charity to an edtech social enterprise. Clary Castrission, founder and CEO, explains why, and how the transition is progressing.
- Categories
- Education, Social Enterprise, Technology
-
EdTech Startups are Flashy, But Teacher Relationships Remain Critical
In this Q&A, Amy Ahearn and Santiago Melo of Acumen explain how the use of education technology, or "edtech," is evolving in emerging markets. For one thing, it's become obvious that in addition to building technology, organizations that hope to reach scale must also build relationships with teachers, and approach districts and governments as customers.
- Categories
- Education
-
‘the Hidden Tragedy of the Poor’: An Interview With Jonathan Morduch, Executive Director of the Financial Access Initiative
Jonathan Morduch is professor of Public Policy and Economics at NYU, and Executive Director of the Financial Access Initiative. In this interview with Upsides, he discusses the real reasons the poor struggle with their finances, how financial services providers can serve them better, and why his views on microfinance have changed.
- Categories
- Education
-
How Abandoned Houses Are Creating a Golden Opportunity: An Interview With Antonio Díaz, Founder and CEO of Provive
Erik Simanis, managing director of Market Creation Strategies at the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise at Cornell University, says BoP scholars and managers (himself included) became so preoccupied with the social mission that they lost sight of business fundamentals and the realities of working within corporations. But, he sees an upside.
- Categories
- Education
-
From Financial Education to Capability – A Paradigm Shift: Financial education on its own is not enough to improve consumers’ financial health
Classroom-based educational programs for improving financial health have mixed results. Improved methods that support behavior change as well as knowledge gains are needed. Sarah Gordon, Vice President, Innovation Labs at CFSI spoke with the Citi Foundation’s COO, Brandee McHale, about the importance of these new approaches, and the organizations that are pioneering them.
- Categories
- Education, Impact Assessment
-
Creating Employment Opportunities At the BoP: An Interview with Ajaya Mohapatra
A Q&A with Ajaya Mohapatra, Managing Director of Justrojgar India Private Limited – a for-profit venture bridging the demand-supply gap in informal sector jobs by sourcing, training and placing people living at the base of the pyramid.
- Categories
- Education
-
NextThought Monday: Creative Ways to Boost Youth Entrepreneurship
The risks of investing in young entrepreneurs are well known: inexperienced managers, murky business plans, overly optimistic views of the market, etc., etc. Youth Business International (YBI) recently issued Closing the Gap, a report that pulled together several case studies showing how the finance gap can be bridged for young entrepreneurs.
- Tags
- youth