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India’s Impact Enterprises Need More Debt Financing to Grow: Here’s How Businesses, Lenders and Regulators Can Make That Happen
Many Indian social entrepreneurs struggle to obtain debt financing, as banks typically steer clear of these young companies, and alternative lenders charge unsustainably high interest rates. Meanwhile, India’s impact investors have shown far more interest in buying stakes in impact enterprises than lending money to them. Sudarshan Sampathkumar and Anuja Kadam at The Bridgespan Group explore solutions to this challenge, based on the findings from a new report.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
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What’s the Matter with WASH?: Why Struggling Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Businesses Need More than Just Investment
Despite limitless demand, most water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) businesses – particularly those serving the poorest customers – are struggling to find a market and attract investors. Annie Hall at Water & Sanitation for the Urban Poor shares insights from a new report that explores where WASH businesses are going wrong – and how investors and development sector players can help.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise, WASH
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Analysis: How COVID-19 Is Shifting Focus to Social Enterprise in Africa
African social entrepreneurs are refocusing strategies and services to reach vulnerable populations most affected by the crisis.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Social Enterprise
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- food security
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SunCulture Wants to Turn Africa Into the World’s Next Bread Basket, One Solar Water Pump at a Time
The world’s food supply must double by the year 2050 to meet the demands of a growing population, according to a report from the United Nations. And as pressure mounts to find new crop land to support the growth, the world’s eyes are increasingly turning to the African continent as the next potential global bread basket.
- Categories
- Energy, Social Enterprise
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Rwandan Female Entrepreneur on Course to Raise $490,000 in Funding
With 70,000 serviced daily via its safe water mini-grids, WARwanda is setting high ambitions to service over 30 million people in the next 10 years and create over 13,000 jobs, greatly multiplying its current reach.
- Categories
- Environment, Social Enterprise
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Viewpoint: Beyond Grants and Impact Investments, There’s a Growing Interest in Africa
As at 2014, the UNDP estimated that at least $8 billion had come into Africa via impact investment. Yet, there’s still a huge gap of $100 billion annually needed to support Africa’s much needed growth.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- impact investing, scale
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Press Release: U.S. Government’s Power Madagascar to Bring Electricity to 5,200 Rural Homes and Businesses
The United States Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Power Africa initiative, has awarded three companies in Madagascar a combined $1.2 million in grant funding to develop mini-grids that will bring electricity to more than 5,200 rural homes and businesses. These grants are part of the U.S. Government’s $3 million effort to increase energy production and electricity access in Madagascar.
- Categories
- Energy, Investing, Social Enterprise
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- energy access, solar
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How GoDaddy is Boosting Digital Skills Development in India
The brand is helping small businesses from tier-2 & 3 cities to grow online.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise, Technology
- Region
- Asia Pacific