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Microfinance in a Dangerous World
Held in the aftermath of the brutal Paris terrorist attacks, last week's European Microfinance Week conference had a special resonance. But the event also provided a hopeful response to recent grim headlines: it brought a strong focus to the ways the microfinance industry and broader financial inclusion movement can lessen the tensions that drive global conflicts – and how they can help communities recover when natural or man-made disasters strike.
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Exploring the Evolving Landscape of Credit Bureaus in India
Crif High Mark Credit Information Services Pvt. Ltd, one of the four credit bureaus in India, in November, launched its first customer- specific product—online credit report and credit score. These will come with risk indicators such as low, medium and high so that the customer can understand what the score means, said Kalpana P. Pandey, chief executive officer and managing director, of the company. The bureau offers two products—credit report at and credit report and score. Pandey spoke to Mint about the evolving landscape of credit bureaus in India, and the company’s plans to service small finance banks and payments banks.
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- South Asia
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- credit scoring
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Cash Transfers in India: Look Before You Leap
The relentless focus on financial inclusion on the deposits side leads to a logical implication that these accounts can be used to transfer money from the government to the targeted recipient, making the action seamless and free from manual intervention. This is the basis of a direct benefit transfer where a wage or pension is transferred to the account without the individual going to the office asking for it. The corollary is the same can be used for other government programmes, ranging from food subsidy to conditional transfers like the mid-day meal programme for children. The examples of Brazil and Mexico have often been given to buttress this argument. How can we evaluate this option?
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- South Asia
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Harvard Business School-Accion Program on Strategic Leadership in Inclusive Finance Is Accepting Applications
The 2016 Harvard Business School – Accion Program on Strategic Leadership in Inclusive Finance is now accepting applications for what will be another exceptional week of learning and exchange among world leaders in financial inclusion. The program will take place March 28 – April 2, 2016 at the HBS campus in Boston, Massachusetts.
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Nigerian Job Placement Technology Entrepreneur Wins Anzisha 2015 Grand Prize for African Youth Entrepreneurship
The Anzisha Prize is thrilled to announce this year’s winner of the $25,000 Grand Prize in the 5th year of Africa’s premier award for youth entrepreneurship. Chris Kwekowe (22), founder of Slatecube which offers a job-relevant skills learning platform and job placement services, impressed the judges. Slatecube has had significant success to date with potential for scale and will serve as an inspiring beacon for other youth interested in entrepreneurship. The decision was not easy, however, given the talented pool of finalists. Fintech entrepreneur Fabrice Alomo (22, Cameroon) was 1st Runner Up ($15,000) and fashion entrepreneur Mabel Suglo (22, Ghana) was 2nd Runner Up ($12,500).
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- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Sustainable Entrepreneurship: The MBA of the Future [An Interview with UVM Dean Sanjay Sharma]
How do you scrap a traditional 38-year-old MBA program and replace it with an entirely new model that addresses 21st-century business challenges? That's the question faced by Dean Sanjay Sharma when he took over at the Grossman School of Business at the University of Vermont in Burlington. In this interview, he explains why sustainability and entrepreneurship are keys to the success of future leaders in business and institutions everywhere.
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- climate change
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Argidius Foundation and Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs Announce Challenge to Stimulate Small Businesses in Emerging Markets
Around the world, small businesses form the backbone of a healthy economy, generating employment, wealth and ultimately, global prosperity. But for these businesses to grow, they need to attract middle and senior level managers who are skilled enough to guide these dynamic firms. Yet this can be challenging in emerging economies where high-caliber talent can be difficult to identify and often attracted to more established organizations.
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Banks Have a $380 Billion Market Opportunity in Financial Inclusion: Accenture and CARE International UK Study
Banks can address an additional $380 billion market in annual revenues by targeting micro-enterprises and bringing unbanked and underbanked adults into the formal financial system, according to a report produced jointly byAccenture and CARE International UK, a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty.
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