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Technology Meets the ‘Loo’: Women-led business utilizes bio-toilets to overcome infrastructure challenges
Namita Banka, a former jewelry designer, took a course in social entreprepreneurship in 2009 and emerged ready to make a difference in her community. A few years later, she incorporated Banka BioLoo to produce environmentally friendly bio-toilets. Here, Sanjay Banka, Namita's husband, talks about the business and the cultural obstacles it's working to overcome.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Environment, Health Care, Technology
- Tags
- public health
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A New Wave of Capacity Building: Enabling private investment in the university education of students in developing countries
Human capital is a nation’s most critical capacity, yet many students in developing countries can't afford a higher education. And neither scholarships and financial aid nor bank loans are sufficient to meet the level of need. Brighter Investment enables private investors to fund the university education of students in the developing world, in exchange for a fixed percentage of their future income - its co-founder discusses their unique model.
- Categories
- Education, Impact Assessment
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Serving the 57 Percent: That’s the percentage of American adults who are struggling financially – CFSI research illuminates their needs
At first, the headline number may seem hard to believe: 57 percent of American adults are struggling financially. But that's what the Center for Financial Services Innovation found in its recent Consumer Financial Health Study. We spoke with Aliza Gutman, the CFSI director who has led the study, about the challenges facing this group - and the opportunities in serving them.
- Categories
- Education
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NexThought Monday – The Future of ‘Blended Learning’ Apps for the Poor:
In this information age, where almost every person is connected, using technology to teach seems like a logical way ahead. Education technology, interwoven with learning, makes it fun for kids. After all, in their minds, technology, including phones, computers and tablets, is traditionally used for playing games. But it’s not that simple.
- Categories
- Education, Technology
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Weekly Roundup – 8/28/15: Will microfinance take on the ‘randomistas’?
Our finance editor discusses an online dispute between two global development heavyweights, which highlighted the growing tension between the microfinance sector and the poverty researchers who have increasingly called its impact into question. And our health care editor weighed in on another bout: The e-cigarette vs. traditional tobacco cancer stick industry in the developing world.
- Categories
- Health Care
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Accelerating Social Entrepreneurship in Latin America: An interview with Agora Partnerships’ CEO Ben Powell
As Ben Powell, its founder and CEO puts it, Agora Partnerships "accelerates entrepreneurs that are solving social and environmental problems in Latin America." Powell describes the process – including some surprising challenges most entrepreneurs face – and discusses emerging trends in social business and investing in this video interview.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Social Enterprise
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It Pays to Pay Your Own Way: Three reasons self-funding helps lead to a successful business
Self-funding comes with challenges. When your business is strapped for cash, things go slower; you don’t have money to take care of unforeseen problems; it's hard to hire people. But the co-founder of SmartPrac says those things can be overcome and, at the end of the day, money's not the most important part of successful entrepreneurship.
- Categories
- Health Care, Technology
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10 Challenges That Could Make or Break India’s Payments Banks: Their revolutionary potential is no guarantee
Last week, the Reserve Bank of India announced that it will issue 11 Payments Bank (PB) licenses, permitting a variety of institutions to provide a limited slate of financial services to underserved populations. The RBI hopes PBs will “revolutionize banking” in India, but their impact is not guaranteed. Here are 10 challenges PBs will face – and how they can live up to the government’s ambitious goals.
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- Uncategorized
