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Press Release: Gateway Academy Merges with Digital Frontiers to Strengthen Capacity Building Initiatives
Gateway Academy, the digital learning platform for financial inclusion incubated by the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), is merging with Digital Frontiers, a globally recognized non-profit that focuses on capacity building for the development community.
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Four Key Challenges Facing India’s Local Energy Enterprises During COVID-19 – And 16 Ways Funders Can Help
COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on last-mile energy companies. SELCO Foundation recently conducted surveys and conversations with 33 local Indian energy enterprises about the challenges they're facing. Sarah Alexander explores what these businesses shared about how governments, investors, philanthropies and other stakeholders can support them.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Energy, Finance, Social Enterprise
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Championing Refugees Financial Inclusion in Rwanda
The UNHCR Rwanda counts around 150,000 refugees hosted by Rwanda in camps. The Mahama camp which is the largest in the country is home to over 61,000 refugees from Burundi. For many Forcibly Displaced Persons (FDPs), a stay in refuge could last longer than 15 years. Yet, despite a steadfast and significant participation in the socio-economic activities of their host communities through education, small scale businesses, and casual labours, access to formal financial services for refugees in Rwanda was almost inexistent until recently.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Marqeta Helps UK SMB Credit Lender Expand Into Spain
Card issuer Marqeta has been helping U.K.-based Capital on Tap to expand its small business credit lending services to Spain, a press release says.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Europe & Eurasia
- Tags
- financial health
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Overthrowing the King: Could Central Bank Digital Currencies Replace Cash in Post-COVID-19 Africa?
Despite advances in digital technology, cash has remained the undisputed king of payments in sub-Saharan Africa. However, as Michaella Allen and Christine Hougaard at Cenfri explain, COVID-19 has placed a stigma on cash and led governments across the region to actively encourage digital payments. They explore the implications of this shift, and whether it could make central bank digital currencies a viable alternative.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance, Technology
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Coronavirus Triggers Dollar Drain in Big Emerging Markets
Plunging foreign reserves in Turkey, Indonesia threaten global crisis
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
- Tags
- financial health, tourism
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Coronavirus Has Upended Payments and Fintech Investing
The payments industry has been in a state of disruption for years, with new technology, greater flexibility and customer experience improvements defining the past decade of innovation. The COVID-19 pandemic all but guarantees an accelerated adoption of new payments technology, both online and in physical stores, but the trajectory of new solutions is going to pivot according to the new pandemic reality. Over the next few years, we’re going to see fintech investments evolve accordingly.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance, Technology
- Tags
- digital payments, fintech
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Pandemic Spurs Social Entrepreneurship in Startup Communities
As an entrepreneur-turned-investor, and having survived prior downturns, I have my share of bumps and bruises that serve as reminders and motivators. But I also like to remember that some of the most successful tech companies were funded during the last big downturn, such as Dropbox, Airbnb and Credit Karma. With that in mind, our venture capital firm is staying the course during the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to aggressively look for great entrepreneurs to fund.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
- Tags
- impact investing, startups