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Lessons Learned Using Mobile Tools to Compile Financial Diary Data
Financial diary methodology is a powerful tool for studying financial inclusion, especially if digital tools are used. Using a mobile data collection and analysis app (which also worked offline) and a cloud-hosted database, Catholic Relief Services drew household data from rural areas in real time and amassed thousands of data points generated by tracking people’s financial lives each week.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Tags
- data, financial inclusion, fintech, research
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Clean Energy Investments Do Not Always Mean a Clean Human Rights Record
Investing in renewable energy seems like a savvy, progressive investor’s ideal scenario. Public policy, popular demand and shifting technologies are all converging to create a potentially high-growth, high-return industry that benefits the environment. But in the transition to renewables, are investors overlooking any issues? Who truly benefits from these investments? Who gets left behind?
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Investing
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Why Alternative Lending Struggles to Scale in Emerging Markets – And What Fintech Companies Can Do About It
Fintech models have proliferated in most developing countries, but alternative lending has struggled to gain scale. That's why FIBR, a project by consulting firm BFA in partnership with The MasterCard Foundation, is bringing together fintechs and banks to use networks of small businesses – shops, clinics and even local schools – to deliver digital financial services to low-income customers.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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Social Enterprise’s Achilles Heel: How the Information Deficit Limits Scale and Impact in India
While academic writing around social entrepreneurship has risen exponentially in the West, the same has not been true for Africa, Latin America and India – where there's also a general lack of information concerning diverse business models, innovative approaches and lessons learned, according to Devanshi Vaid. That's why India Development Review was created.
- Categories
- Education
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A Toolkit to Identify Sustainable, Market-Based Energy Solutions in Off-Grid Areas
The MIT D-Lab, working with Mercy Corps, developed the Energy Assessment Toolkit to help organizations with strong connections in off-grid communities assess local energy needs, and select and implement market-based solutions that meet those needs. The toolkit includes surveys and interview guides that an organization can use to gather information from a range of stakeholders.
- Categories
- Education, Energy, Telecommunications
- Tags
- supply chains
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Machine Learning Meets Credit Scoring: How it Can Help Reduce Loan Delinquency Costs
Investment in predictive algorithms for credit scoring is a no-brainer for sophisticated digital financial service providers. Brick-and-mortar financial institutions that are just beginning to explore technology applications should follow suit, according to BFA, because credit scoring optimizes three business layers that improve the overall bottom line.
- Categories
- Finance
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The Great Equalizer: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Heart Health Care More Accessible
Cardiotrack began as a three-lead ECG machine but has evolved into a complete cardiac care platform designed to make heart health care delivery more accessible, especially in underserved areas. The firm is now using artificial intelligence analytics, Internet of Things sensors and cloud-based storage to diagnose cardiovascular disease, and even (potentially) to predict and forestall heart attacks.
- Categories
- Health Care, Social Enterprise, Technology
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I’m a Victim of DFS: Digitizing My Dollars is Fine, the Problem is Digitizing Me
The whole framework for digital money is inadequate, says Ignacio Mas, because people don't have a proper digital identity. That's partly due to governments and financial institutions having different needs. He recommends dividing identity rules into two: one set that serves financial integrity and law enforcement needs, and another that fulfills the bank's fiduciary duty toward customers.
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- Uncategorized
