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Overcoming Assumptions and Prejudices to Forge a Network of Self Reliance: Why Zidisha targets young, tech-savvy entrepreneurs with loans
The nonprofit Zidisha built a different kind of micro-lending platform: One that is peer-to-peer, transparent and caters to entrepreneurs who came of age during the Internet era. In part two of our interview with CEO Julia Kurnia we discuss how Zidisha maintains its borrower-friendly focus, differentiates itself from other lending networks, and holds steadfast to the idea that loans are better than cash transfers.
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Weekly Roundup 10-9-15 : Exits and Entrances: Two reports shed light on getting out and getting into impact enterprises
To capitalize on the chatter and excitement around impact investing that the Social Capital Markets (SOCAP) conference creates, many organizations and companies made announcements and issued reports this week. Here are two biggies that caught our eye.
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- impact investing
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SOCAP Recap: OPTIMISM … With a Dash of Skepticism:
With warplanes thundering overhead (seriously), the crowd at Thursday's SOCAP sessions conducted a stimulating and wide-ranging discussion of the many facets of social business and investing. But among the usual positivity was a distinct note of impatience. Our editors discuss what they saw and heard at yesterday's proceedings.
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- Health Care, Impact Assessment, Social Enterprise
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Live from SOCAP15 : Quotes, tweets and nugget-sized insights from the first full day
More than 2,700 people are attending the eighth annual SOCAP – which describes itself as “the largest conference in the world that is mixing the people who want to use business to change the world for good with the people who invest and make that happen” – in San Francisco this year. Here's a smattering of quotes and tweets gathered by NextBillion.
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- impact investing
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Microlending Peer to Peer … and Back Again: After six years, Zidisha CEO presses for low-debt loans, high transparency
Many have called for more transparency and increased accountability in microcredit - and raised concerns about the often high cost of microloans to poor recipients. Since it was founded six years ago, the nonprofit Zidisha has sought to address these issues by providing a direct connection between lenders and entrepreneurs. CEO Julia Kurnia discusses the model and its challenges in part one of this Q&A.
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- crowdfunding
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Why Relying Too Heavily on Credit Scores Hides Potential Market Opportunities:
Credit scores can be limiting and in some cases, misleading. For instance, a consumer might have a high credit score while also struggling financially and vice versa. New research from CFSI looks at the missed opportunities for financial inclusion when credit scores are the limiting factor.
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‘We Need to Partner More’: Business Call to Action panelists discuss new ways of thinking necessary to achieve SDGs
The best way to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of “ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages” is through innovative cross-sector collaborations. That was the takeaway from a breakout panel discussion – “Toward a Healthier Future: Catalyzing Partnerships to Drive Better Health” – at the Business Call to Action’s sixth annual forum.
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- Environment, Health Care, Social Enterprise
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NexThought Monday – Applying Wall Street Ideas to NGOs in Rural India: A closer look at the first education impact bond
Business and financial buzzwords that have long dominated boardrooms and global conference calls - like “make vs. buy” or “risk and return” – are entering the landscape of NGOs. The latest manifestation of this is a new type of bond for development programs that leverages investor and risk dynamics typically found in business deals. The very first of these “development impact bonds” in education launched in rural India last year.
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- Impact Assessment
