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Mastercard helps expand financial inclusion in Pakistan by optimizing National ID cards with e-payment functionality
Mastercard, a leading technology company in the global payments industry, announced a strategic collaboration with Pakistan’s NADRA Technologies to optimize National ID cards with electronic payments functionality. The move will allow Pakistani citizens to carry out financial transactions and receive government disbursements by utilizing the unique 13-digit identification number of their identity card.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- North Africa & Near East
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Tej Kohli takes the wraps off his $25Mn tech-focused ‘Kohli Impact Investment Initiative’
Venture capitalist Tej Kohli, announced today about his newly formed Kohli Impact Investment Initiative, commencing with a hefty sum of $25 million. The Initiative is powered by Kohli’s family office, Kohli Ventures particularly targeted at attracting innovative and disruptive technologies.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
- Tags
- ESG, venture capital
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Sustainable Investing: Not Just About Returns
In 2016, we stated that environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing was at an inflection point and would move centre stage for many investors.
- Categories
- Investing
- Tags
- ESG, impact investing
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New CGAP Survey Finds Technology Alone Cannot Deliver Successful Interoperability in Digital Financial Services
No matter how well designed the technology, interoperability in digital financial services will not reach its full potential unless the right business structure and incentives are in place, CGAP found in its new report, Digital Finance Interoperability and Financial Inclusion: A 20-Country Scan.
- Categories
- Technology
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Unitus Seed Fund is clearing the decks for a second fund to support new-age social ventures
Unitus Seed Fund raised $23 million for impact investing in India, nearly a third of it from local investors. It is now gearing up for a second, larger fund. With internet penetration reaching critical mass, the 'base of the pyramid' is a serious investible asset class.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
- Region
- South Asia
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IFC, The MasterCard Foundation, and FINCA Support Expansion of Financial Inclusion in Democratic Republic of Congo
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, together with The MasterCard Foundation, on January 17 announced a cooperation agreement valued at $1 million with microfinance institution FINCA in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Under the agreement, FINCA will expand access to credit and digital financial services for low-income people and small-scale entrepreneurs.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion, Institute of International Finance and MetLife Foundation Launch Project to Help Banking Industry Overcome Barriers to Financial Inclusion
The Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion (CFI), the Institute of International Finance (IIF) and MetLife Foundation, together with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) as a technical partner, announced today a two-year initiative to help advance the financial services industry’s ability to reach unserved and underserved populations. The project, titled Mainstreaming Financial Inclusion: Best Practices, will facilitate learning and action on how financial institutions can respond to the specific challenges of reaching lower income market segments. Through research, knowledge exchange, best practices, real world examples and expert insights, the project will identify and transmit practical guidance that financial institutions can use to expand quality services to the poor.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
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Mastercard Delivering Financial Inclusion: One Small Kenyan Farm At A Time
The problem with building financial inclusion — particularly in a developing world context — is that it is a tough goal to pursue directly. While there isn’t much in the way of disagreement that more should be done to connect the approximately 2.5 billion adults who are totally (or nearly totally) detached from formal financial services, actually implementing a plan that actually makes a difference is often a very separate matter.
- Categories
- Agriculture
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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