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In Haiti, the Fonkoze Model of Constant Evolution
At the time of the earthquake, during which 19,000 of its clients saw homes or businesses completely wiped away, Fonkoze had been developing a micro-insurance product as a long-term solution for disaster protection. In the immediate aftermath, the firm began collecting feedback to refine the micro-insurance product before brining it to market.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
- Tags
- microfinance
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Get In Line, Tunisia: Why This is Only the Beginning
While economists and policymakers may debate the exact nature of the relationship between poverty and corruption, it seems that the world’s poorest citizens have already made the connection, such as when they lose a job to a family member of the ruling elite. Tunisia’s protests are the latest demonstration of global frustration with corruption.
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- Uncategorized
- Tags
- governance
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NextThought Monday: Why Africa is Open for Business
When I asked a group of Business School students if they’d be interested in doing business in Africa, very few raised their hands. Those who did thought their prospects were limited to NGOs or microfinance. But in the last decade, better governance and debt crisis resolution, among other factors, are radically improving the business climate.
- Categories
- Education
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Friday Roundup – 1/21/11: Support Your Favorite Unreasonable Entrepreneur
The Unreasonable Marketplace opened to the public yesterday, featuring the finalists in the race to participate in the Unreasonable Institute this summer in Bouder Colorado. Over the next month and a half, 45 social enterprises from around the world will be rallying waiting for our support!
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- Uncategorized
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33Needs Turning Ideas into Action
Securities law prevents investment in companies not listed with the SEC, creating a barrier for small and medium-sized businesses from funding. Josh Tetrick decided to literally redefine that negative and turn it into a positive by forming 33Needs, a startup crowd-funding website focused on social entrepreneurs.
- Categories
- Environment, Impact Assessment, Technology
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’One for One’ … Win for Win
The TOMS Shoes model has been lauded for its simple, marketable mission whereby for every pair of shoes purchased by a consumer in the West, a pair of shoes is donated to a child in need. But there is another One for One working to serve the BoP now - only instead of shoes, this organization is selling solar kits and water bottles.
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- Uncategorized
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Financial Inclusion: Banking in the Amazon (With Video)
Autazes, a municipality in Brazil’s Amazon region, did not have a single point of access to banking services until 2002, when an agent set up operations there. Since then, Autazes has experienced significant economic and social changes, as the local population has access to government payments and other banking services for the first time.
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- Uncategorized
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Frugal Innovation: The Case of Zari
Frugal innovation in most developing countries ensures that locally sourced materials/produced goods will be in higher demand, which in some cases open up interesting new business opportunities. One such opportunity is adapting age-old (and extremely low-cost) Indian embroidery techniques for high-tech vision treatments.
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- Uncategorized
