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Nairobi Slum Offers Test Bed for Tech Helping the World’s Unbanked
Starting in the poorest regions of East Africa and—if successful—spreading to other developing nations, like India, a new platform called Kionect is aiming to provide basic financial services and security to people and businesses forgotten by the formal economy.
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Branch International Raises $70M Series B to Bring World-Class Financial Services to Emerging Markets
Branch International, a mobile “branchless bank” for emerging markets, announces a $70 million Series B investment to expand its financial offerings to additional countries. With over a million unique borrowers, Branch is already the top finance app in Africa. Branch offers credit today and plans to diversify into savings and payments in the future.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- South Asia
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Massive Demand for Senior Leaders in Burgeoning African Fintech Sector
With the rapid and sustained growth of the fintech sector in East Africa, in particular in Kenya, there has been a sharp rise in demand for skilled leaders to fill positions, and companies are looking globally – and to South Africa specifically – in their talent search.
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Fintech Startup Cash Suvidha Raises $1 M in Pre-Series A Funding
Delhi-based online lending platform Cash Suvidha has raised $1 Mn in a Pre-Series A funding round from Initia Holdings; Vipin Agarwal, Partner in India Industrial Growth Fund and others.
- Region
- South Asia
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Kenya: Unilever Tea to install 600kW solar power plant
Unilever Tea recently signed an agreement with Cross-Boundary Energy for the installation and operation of a 600kW solar power plant at the company’s Kericho tea plantation in Kenya.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Soapply Initiative Funds Sanitation and Hygiene Solutions in Africa
While working in East Africa, Mera McGrew quickly learned that a simple act like washing hands with soap could prevent child mortality. Her initiative, Soapply, addresses the serious issue of clean water, sanitation and hygiene across the globe. With each purchase, the company funds up to $10 worth of impact through water, sanitation and hygiene initiatives and aims to leave a lasting positive impact.
- Categories
- Education, Health Care, WASH
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Press release: Pakistan’s poorest communities to benefit from innovative US$600k deal for off-grid solar roll out
EcoEnergy, a leading affordable solar energy provider in Pakistan, has secured a US$600,000 investment to help it provide off-grid solar energy to 10,000 of the poorest rural households in Pakistan.
- Source
- Press release
- Region
- South Asia
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US govt’s OPIC commits $12.5 m loan for clean drinking water in India
“This project offers an innovative approach to making safe water more available and affordable and illustrates how businesses can develop new solutions to long standing global challenges,” said Ray W Washburne, President and CEO, OPIC.
- Categories
- WASH
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- global development, SDGs
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