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WFP Launches First Mobile Cash Transfers For Humanitarian Assistance In Myanmar
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has launched the first pilot programme using mobile cash transfers for humanitarian assistance in Myanmar. Between 27 February and 1 March, 112 conflict-affected internally displaced families in three camps in Myitkyina Township of Kachin State received a monthly electronic credit allocation of MMK 9,000 (US$ 7) per person for vulnerable households.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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Heeding the Voice of the Planet: Why CSR Isn’t Enough
Academic and author Stuart Hart writes that we have inadvertently put most of our chips on continuous improvement inside of current fossil fuel-based businesses and have largely forgotten about the critical importance of disruption, innovation and transformational change to corporate sustainability. How do we move business from the folly of competing for corporate sustainability ratings to actually making a difference? It starts with providing the right incentives, Hart says.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Technology
- Tags
- renewable energy
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National Microfinance Bank to digitize agricultural sector in Tanzania
National Microfinance Bank Pic (NMB) has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Mastercard to ensure the digitization of the agricultural sector in Tanzania with the roll-out of eKilimo, a mobile solution developed by the Mastercard Lab for Financial Inclusion.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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The Startups Using Apps and Phones to Solve the Global Healthcare Crisis
At this year's WIRED Health, pharmaceutical company Sandoz is launching its first-ever startup competition. Sandoz HACk challenges young entrepreneurs to use mobile-health technologies to help bring access to healthcare in tough environments.
- Categories
- Health Care, Technology
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Cheaper and easier to handle, UPI apps pose challenge to e-wallets in India
Apps using the newly launched Unified Payments Interface (UPI) are threatening to dislodge the hold mobile wallets currently have on small & medium enterprises (SMEs) and retailers. Platforms like Goodbox, Shoptimize and Nowfloats, which help small ventures take their businesses online, say there's growing interest among these companies to test the UPI payment method.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- digital payments
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RegTech for Regulators: Reimagining Financial Supervision and Policymaking
The authors – representing BFA, USAID, the Gates Foundation and Omidyar Network – say tomorrow's financial customers and service providers will be able to leverage technology to engage in a real-time, two-way conversation to quickly obtain information and resolve problems, benefitting consumers, regulators and financial institutions alike.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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First FinTech Fund for Inclusion of the Underserved Raises $141 Million
The first FinTech fund created to help the underserved has closed, reaching millions in capital contributions, which will go toward people and companies who need assistance in the financial sector.
- Categories
- Investing, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Vodafone Slams Proposed Split of Kenyan M-Pesa as`Ridiculous’
Safaricom Ltd, East Africa’s biggest mobile-phone company, would have to reconsider future investment in Kenya if proposals to break up the company are implemented, the head of mobile money at parent Vodafone Plc said.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- fintech
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