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From Smart Meters to ‘Water ATMs’: Innovative Solutions to Bring Water Services to Rural Africa
An estimated 663 million people lack access to clean and safe drinking water in the world today. Innovations such as smart metering services are being tested to enhance access to water. However, these solutions have not been widely adopted across Africa, except at some water vending points. George Muruka at MicroSave explores how these innovations can be scaled up to the household level.
- Categories
- Technology, WASH
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Why Fintech Startups Are Wooing India’s Small Businesses
Manjunatha BN runs a music store called Sri Sai Musicals in Bangalore. He needed a loan of $7,800 (5 lakh rupees). Unsure of getting one from a bank, he decided to approach Bangalore-based digital lender Capital Float. To his surprise, he received his loan in no time.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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East Africa is leading the world in drone delivery
The cutting edge of drone delivery isn't one of the usual technology hotspots, such as Singapore or the United States. The honor belongs to East Africa.
- Categories
- Health Care, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Adoptions rise, but mobile wallets still less than 1% of all digital transactions in India
“Despite now accounting for 10% of the overall transaction volume in India, mobile wallets form less than 1% of the transaction value,” a report by Deloitte said which was unveiled at the Retailers Association of India CFO conference on August 23.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- digital payments, fintech
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Rwanda has shown that healthcare innovation in the developing world means more than investing in technology
As one commentator has recently highlighted, Rwanda’s economic output adds up to roughly 700 US$ per person, less than one eightieth of the average economic output of an American citizen. And yet today, a new born baby in Rwanda can expect to live to 64, only 15 years less than an American baby. That’s a phenomenal achievement.
- Categories
- Health Care, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Can Satellites Solve the Farmer Suicide Crisis in India?
Researchers from the University of California, Berkley, have found a strong correlation between rising temperatures and the rate of suicides, with an increase of 1 Celsius associated with an average of about 70 additional suicides per day. Droughts have ravaged the country’s crop yields, sharply reducing farmers’ income across the sector and disrupting the predictability of revenue.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Environment, Technology
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- agtech, climate change
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Viewpoint: Why I believe the US State Department is wrong about mobile money in Africa
The US Department of State recently released a report that identified mobile money services as particularly susceptible to money laundering in Africa. It cites services like M-PESA and M-Shwari as “services [that] remain vulnerable to money laundering activities”.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Funny money in Myanmar’s fintech sector
A prominent mobile money company appears to be flaunting regulations aimed at providing consumer protections in the burgeoning sector.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Asia Pacific
- Tags
- fintech, mobile finance
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