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India’s MFIs shift focus to urban areas
Microfinance institutions (MFIs), which evolved as precursors of the rural thrift credit market in India, are now shifting to urban areas, with big slums in cities turning out to be cost-effective markets over small villages in far-flung locations.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- microfinance
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$75,000 Anzisha Prize for Young Entrepreneurs Announces 2014 Finalists
For the first time ever, African Leadership Academy and The MasterCard Foundation are delighted to have Anzisha Prize finalists from Togo and Ivory Coast (http://www.anzishaprize.org), revealing strong growth in entrepreneurship activity amongst youth in West Africa. Five young women are among the 12 finalists in the running for the $75,000 prize money that will be awarded on 23 September 2014, and will fly to Johannesburg from DRC, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa and Nigeria.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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A tiffin service that serves a special ‘social story’
Her husband hasn’t spoken to her in three months, but Neetu hopes he will come around. After all, she says, working with Lunchbox 17, a tiffin delivery service in South Delhi, has completely changed her attitude. The social enterprise was launched in May by youth-run NGO Swechha and employs women from Jagdamba Camp, a slum near the organisation’s Khirki Extension offices. The initiative aims to provide employment, and eventually empowerment, to the women, and clean and tasty food to young professionals and students in the area.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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Microfinance as a panacea to Nigeria’s unemployment challenge
As credit plays vital role in start-up and expansion of businesses, microfinance has been treated as an important tool for economic development.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- employment, microfinance
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Indian PM asks banks to make financial inclusion a national priority
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asked banks to make the opening of bank accounts in 70 million households this year a national priority.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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5 Ways To Ensure Your Money Doesn’t Contradict Your Social Values
It is possible to redirect your money’s social and environmental ties, even if a lack of understanding too often obscures that fact.
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- Uncategorized
- Tags
- impact investing
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150 Million Bank Accounts – Is That Enough?: Infrastructure is only one part of designing an inclusive financial system in India
Indian prime minister Modi recently announced an ambitious new plan for financial inclusion for all Indians. The plan focuses on the estimated half of the country’s population that does not use a bank, providing them with debit cards and insurance policies (among other things). But IPA points out that creating an inclusive financial system will require more than ATM cards.
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- Uncategorized
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Bain Capital Buys into Toms Shoes’ Social Enterprise Model
Toms is a well known socially responsible business, a shoe manufacturer that donates a pair of shoes to a needy child for every pair it sells. This business model has attracted an unusual investor: Bain Capital.
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- Uncategorized
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