-
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.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Tags
- crowdfunding
-
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.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
-
‘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.
- Categories
- Environment, Health Care, Social Enterprise
-
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.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
-
Target Market Segmentation and Education: Comparing agriculture digital payments systems
Agriculture has such a complicated supply chain that any digital payments programs without the requisite target market segmentation and a robust education approach – that places farmers at the center of consideration – will likely fail. It is essential for farmers to have a comprehensive awareness about the features and benefits of digital payments before they will consider adopting any new way of doing their business.
- Categories
- Agriculture
-
Making Toilets, Building Communities
Social enterprises like Sanivation and Sanergy are bringing health, safety and hygiene to informal settlements in Kenya, and that means, according to the author, fewer children will die of diarrhea. Plus, these businesses are giving people an opportunity to experience dignified life in a sustainable way.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Environment, Health Care
-
Rating Progress Toward Financial Inclusion on a Scale of 1 to 10: New FI2020 report shows both progress and challenges on the road to global financial inclusion
When the Center for Financial Inclusion began the FI2020 project in 2011, it hoped to create a sense of both urgency and possibility about enabling global access to quality financial services. Today it launched the Financial Inclusion 2020 Progress Report, an interactive website that shows how far the world has come - and how far it has to go - on the path to global financial inclusion.
- Categories
- Education
-
F.B. Heron Foundation President Clara Miller is Stepping Down: Watch our 2015 Video Interview
In June, the F.B. Heron Foundation announced that it was moving 100 percent of its assets into impact investments, aiming to complete the process by the end of 2017. On September 30, the foundation's president Clara Miller joined NextBillion for a live Google Hangout. We discussed Heron’s bold move – and the lessons it has learned from its efforts to align its capital with its mission. You can view the replay in this post.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
