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Pro-Women, Anti-Cash: How Cashless Economies Can Boost Women’s Empowerment
We are still a long way from a world where cash is obsolete – in fact, 85 percent of consumer transactions are still conducted in cash, and for many people, hard currency clearly remains a useful commodity. But the landscape is changing rapidly, and for the world’s poorest and most excluded communities – and for women in particular – the drive towards cashless economies offers an exciting window of opportunity.
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- Uncategorized
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An Underutilized Weapon Against Climate Change Risks: Maximizing the Potential of Micro-insurance
Over the past few decades, changes in climate activity have led to extreme weather events that have posed substantial threats to security and financial well-being – particularly at the bottom of the economic pyramid. As these natural disasters may become the new norm, new strategies are needed to address their impact, both during and after the events. One approach to building this resilience is through asset-based micro-insurance.
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- Environment
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Weekly Roundup: The (Possible) Impact of President Trump or Sanders on Emerging Economies
We avoid politics on NextBillion, but in ways that truly matter to our readers, this U.S. presidential campaign has invaded our territory. Many observers in recent weeks are taking a hard look at what a Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders presidency would mean for emerging economies. In this post, we examine some of the possible repercussions of two key policies advocated by the candidates.
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- Uncategorized
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The Most Powerful Weapon for Changing the World: How Microfinance Institutions Can Increase Access to Education
Nelson Mandela described education as the “most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” But how can we increase access to quality education for children and adults? The author maintains that governments and the philanthropic sector can play a role, but there's also a practical need for private financial resources to support education access.
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- Education
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Sir Fazle Hasan Abed of BRAC: Poverty’s About Deprivation, and It’s Fixable (Video)
“Oppressed people have got their own way of thinking about life,” said Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, founder of BRAC, “and if you can somehow mobilize them, make them critically aware of their own condition, and get them to act on their own behalf, make them an actor in their own history, then things become much easier.” Watch our in-depth interview.
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- Social Enterprise
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Nine Reasons Social Enterprises Should Put Locals in Executive Positions
As an American social entrepreneur living in Uganda, the author says it's easier and often cheaper – because of roots and networks – to hire other Americans. But if you want to navigate a company through foreign culture, customs and policies, he says, make sure you put locals in executive positions.
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- Social Enterprise
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Turning the Microfinance Model Upside Down: An Interview with Jeffrey Ashe
In this frank interview, microfinance pioneer-turned-savings group advocate Jeffrey Ashe discusses the history of the savings group model, how it improves upon microfinance – and why it doesn't get as much attention.
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- Finance
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More Giant Rats On the Way. And That’s a Good Thing.
APOPO trains African giant pouched rats to sniff out tuberculosis (TB), a top infectious disease killer worldwide even though it’s curable and preventable. The program has proven successful in screening for TB in crowded prisons in Tanzania and Mozambique, and APOPO hopes to roll it out in at least six countries by 2020.
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- Health Care, Social Enterprise
