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How Blockchains Could Revolutionize International Aid
It’s this sort of problem–a lack of traceability in aid–that encouraged Thompson to develop a system to transfer and track international development payments. AID:Tech is one of several startups working with blockchain technology, trying to ensure more funds go where they’re supposed to go. “Transparency is really needed in aid and welfare payments because there’s not a functioning system that works globally,” he says.
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- Technology
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Bridging financial inclusion with technology is key
Sonny Singh, Senior VP and GM of Oracle's Financial Services Global Business Unit, tells Anup Jayaram how the company is helping facilitate digital banking in India.
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- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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The Race to Solar-Power Africa
The spread of cell phones in the region has made it possible for residents to pay daily or weekly bills using mobile money, and now the hope is that, just as cell phones bypassed the network of telephone lines, solar panels will enable many rural consumers to bypass the electric grid. From Ghana, I travelled to Ivory Coast, and then to Tanzania, and along the way I encountered a variety of new solar ventures, most of them American-led. Some, such as Ghana’s Black Star Energy, which had electrified Daban, install solar microgrids, small-scale versions of the giant grid Americans are familiar with. Others, such as Off-Grid Electric, in Tanzania and Ivory Coast, market home-based solar systems that run on a panel installed on each individual house.
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- Energy, Environment, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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New finance for old (technology) problems? Saving the planet with better cook stoves
Research attempting to answer this question has mainly focused on the cook’s household, finding that factors such as income, education, and access to credit limit adoption and sustained use. But this demand-driven narrative ignores the other side of the equation: the producers and distributors. Increasing awareness by both practitioners and the policy community has led to growing calls for a new focus on stove supply barriers and innovative policy tools to increase ICS sales.
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- Environment, Technology
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Innovation Prize for Africa recognizes Lakheni
A South African initiative that uses group buying power to lower food prices for needy communities, using a mobile app, has been nominated for the continental prize.
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- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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India’s most popular mobile wallet company is pushing to disrupt financial services with a new money market fund
Paytm recently became the second nonbank to leverage India's payment bank initiative, which works to give more consumers access to mainstream financial services. As part of the initiative, Paytm will be able to accept deposits, issue debit cards, and facilitate online transactions, but it won't be able to lend money to consumers.
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- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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On Bitcoin, India’s Government And Tech Companies Find Common Ground
Clearly, despite some initial reservations, the Indian government is keen on understanding how Bitcoin works and is willing to deploy resources to build frameworks.
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- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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Nigerian Tech Startup Tizeti Secures $2.1M To Bring Affordable Wireless Internet To Africa
Unlike other telcos, who many think have a monopoly on internet data services in the country, Tizeti can keep costs low for its consumer-facing brand, wifi.com.ng, because it is investing heavily in building out its own solar-panelled network of towers across Lagos, as well as a network of over 3,000 public hotspots across the city.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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