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Solutions to the Care Crisis: How Social Enterprises and Impact Investing Can Transform the Care Economy
The care economy – i.e., paid and unpaid care provided to children, the elderly, and those with illnesses or disabilities – is central to our society’s well-being and to the broader economy. But according to analysts at IDRC, E. T. Jackson and Associates Ltd., and the Soros Economic Development Fund, COVID-19 has worsened the challenges facing these primarily female workers. They explore some innovative market-based solutions to these issues, and discuss how impact investors and other stakeholders can better support care workers, particularly in the Global South.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship, Investing
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The Next Financial Inclusion Revolution: The Transformative Potential of Scaling Small Group Savings in the World’s Poorest Communities
Despite $52 billion invested in financial inclusion in 2019 alone, nearly 2 billion people – many of them among the world’s poorest – still lack access to formal finance. As Jeffrey Ashe at Grassroots Finance Action points out, these communities often turn to informal savings and credit groups to meet their financial needs – but there are many who are too poor and marginalized to be invited to be part of these groups. He explores a proposal that aims to expand access to informal savings groups to reach these financially excluded individuals around the world.
- Categories
- Finance
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Embracing Digital Solutions in Last Mile Distribution: Six Steps for Introducing New Tools to Sales Agents
COVID-19 has accelerated the shift towards greater digitalization that was already well underway in the last mile distribution sector. According to Gerwin Jansen and Yvonne Achieng at Bopinc, more digital services are coming onto the market to meet this demand – but regardless of the benefits of these tools, if sales agents don’t embrace them the business impacts will not be realized. They explore how last mile distributors can successfully embed digital solutions in their sales teams, presenting a six-step approach to rolling out new digital services to agents.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship, Technology
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How Low- to Middle-Income Internet Users View Data Privacy and Protection: New Research From India and the United States
One side effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the increased adoption and expansion of digital services, including among low- to middle-income users. Decodis CEO Daryl Collins argues that it is becoming increasingly important to create a sense of inclusion and confidence among these consumers, as their usage of these services grows. She shares research findings that show how a sample of low- to middle-income customers in the U.S. and India are navigating the digital world – and what they think about the data-sharing these services are based on.
- Categories
- Technology
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Local Context Matters: Why Localization is Key to Accelerating Financial Inclusion in Africa
Mobile technology has proven to be an effective tool for broadening financial inclusion in Africa. But as Kenny Orisanaiye at HollaTags Limited points out, the continent’s cultural diversity complicates these efforts, as Africa has several thousand ethnic groups and over 2,000 distinct languages. He explores how financial service providers can design innovative solutions to this challenge by embracing localization and adapting their products and user engagement content to serve the specific cultural requirements of the African market.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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From Problem to Profit: Rewiring the E-Waste Value Chain in Africa
Africa is home to bountiful reserves of metals and minerals, but these resources have not unleashed widespread economic growth. However, as Anne Cathrine Garde and Blessing Layee-Maima Caine at the BESTSELLER Foundation explain, an “urban mine” is quietly growing on the continent, in the form of discarded electronic devices loaded with precious metals. They discuss how trailblazing trash entrepreneurs are tapping the riches sitting in Africa's overflowing landfills, and turning this problem into profit by rewiring the broken e-waste value chain.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship, Technology, WASH
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The Battle for the Planet: How Climate Change Investments Can – And Must – Save the World
The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change highlighted the grim trendlines of global warming – a problem that, if left unchecked, will have a catastrophic impact on the planet. But as Bonnie Foley-Wong at Pique Ventures explains, the financial impacts of climate change have already begun, and investors – whether as individuals or institutions – can play a key role in developing and scaling solutions. She highlights seven areas and themes that investors can focus on to help build a planet where future generations can thrive.
- Categories
- Environment, Investing
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Supporting Women Farmers in the Age of Climate Change: Why It’s Time To Look at Agriculture Solutions Through Both a Gender and Climate Lens
In sub-Saharan Africa, women smallholder farmers face a number of significant barriers, from lower access to resources, to entrenched sociocultural norms that limit their mobility, time and decision-making power. And these obstacles are exacerbated by climate change, which also places unique burdens on women. In response to these overlapping challenges, Bianca Samson, Flavia Howard and Charlie Habershon at Dalberg argue that agricultural support efforts must combine a gender and climate lens. They discuss ways to align these three priorities to drive catalytic impact.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Environment
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