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The Impact of COVID-19 on Youth Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Roadmap for the Mobile Industry
COVID-19 has significant impact on SSA, particularly on its informal sector. The mobile industry has never been more relevant and holds the potential to be transformative in its social impact. The industry was on track for growth and well placed as a driver of youth employment in SSA. Whilst by no means unaffected, there are reasons to believe that the industry will continue to be a driver of youth employment on the sub-continent. The doom and gloom of COVID-19 does not have to be all-encompassing and we must look towards the future and harness the opportunities it may hold.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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A Digital Approach to Reducing Educational Inequality in Africa – During and After COVID-19
As COVID-19 spreads through sub-Saharan Africa, its long-term impact on children's education is becoming clear, as over 253 million students are not in school due to closures caused by the crisis. Wambura Kimunyu at Eneza discusses the company's innovative platform, which provides educational content via SMS texts – and how it's working to expand access to the platform in response to the pandemic.
- Categories
- Education, Technology
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Press Release: GoBear Grabs $17M in Funding to Accelerate Its Financial Services Across Asia
GoBear, a Singapore based fintech startup, has raised US$17 million in a funding round led by returning investors Walvis Participaties, a Dutch VC firm, and Aegon N.V., a Netherlands-based asset management company, according to a press statement.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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What Is Celo and Could It Succeed Where Libra Won’t?
Celo promises to be a stablecoin to rival Libra. While unlikely to be regarded with the same distrust as Facebook’s much-maligned digital currency, Celo will still have its share of challenges relating to regulation and scale.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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Farmers Turn to Mobile Apps as Traditional Markets Shut Down
Farmers and fresh produce traders in the South Rift region have turned to social media and farm-based sales to bridge the market gaps brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Coronavirus, Technology
- Region
- North Africa & Near East
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Press Release: Impact of COVID-19 on the Online Payment Methods Market in the Middle East & Africa
According to the report, cash on delivery was the leading payment method preferred by online shoppers in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Kenya, and other countries in this region, as of 2019. The COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020, however, is changing this perspective.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance, Technology
- Region
- North Africa & Near East
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An Unlikely Mobile Money Success Story: How Somalia’s Civil War Laid the Foundation for a Cashless Society
Somalia has been ravaged by civil war, and the repercussions of the conflict continue to this day. Yet out of this violence and economic turmoil, a thriving mobile money ecosystem has emerged. According to Ahmed Muhamud Yuusuf at Hormuud Telecoms, the country has become the world’s first truly cashless economy. He explores the many positive impacts this accomplishment has had.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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Scaling Big Data for Social Good: Weighing the Benefits and the Risks
Each day, the world generates about 2.5 quintillion bytes of data, and the entire digital universe is expected to hit 44 zettabytes this year. According to Hayden Dahmm at SDSN TReNDS, this data can provide major benefits if it's shared between the public and private sectors – but the risks are equally significant, particularly in emerging markets. He explores how to ensure that big data is used safely and ethically.
- Categories
- Technology