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Ecobank plans to use its app to make traditional bank accounts relevant in Africa
For the past 15 years, the growth of mobile phones in Africa has helped fill the void poor banking infrastructure has created – with the technology being used to address the needs of the unbanked.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Belu hits landmark figure for WaterAid
After six years of operation, Belu has annouced it has reached a landmark figure – £2m of profit has now been handed over to WaterAid, which provides clean water and sanitation in developing countries. The announcement coincides with World Water Day. The bottled water is one of the poster children for social enterprise.
- Categories
- Environment
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Kenya is launching the world’s first mobile-only government bond
Kenyan citizens will soon be able to buy government bonds on their cell phones. Kenya’s Treasury said today that the M-Akiba bond, the world’s first mobile-only government bond, would go on sale on Thursday after a delay of almost two years.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Viewpoint: Cambodia’s interest rate cap will hurt rural families
On March 13, the National Bank of Cambodia announced a major new policy. Starting April 1, all microfinance institution operating in Cambodia will be required to lend at interest rates no higher than 18 percent per year. This is a deeply misguided regulation that will undo over a decade’s worth of successful financial policies.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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500 Startups launches fund to invest $10M for entrepreneurship in Latin America
Seed funding and networking guru 500 Startups launches its second Latin American Regional fund to bring $10 million in commitment to Spanish-speaking startups. The fund, Luchadores II, will be first anchored by the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC), and has plans to invest in over 120 companies through the Mexico City-based LatAm 500 Seed Program over the next 2 years.
- Categories
- Health Care, Investing
- Region
- Latin America
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Nuru AI chatbot helps to solve day-to-day problems in Africa
In the Western world, everyone is talking about messaging apps and chatbots. Now, users in Africa and other low-income countries can use chatbots instead of text messages to ask questions.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Viewpoint: Cambodia’s interest rate cap will hurt rural families
On March 13, the National Bank of Cambodia announced a major new policy. Starting April 1, all microfinance institution operating in Cambodia will be required to lend at interest rates no higher than 18 percent per year. This is a deeply misguided regulation that will undo over a decade’s worth of successful financial policies.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
-
Trump Meets Bill Gates After President Seeks Cuts in Foreign Aid
President Donald Trump met with Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates at the White House on Monday, just days after releasing a budget proposal that would impose deep cuts on funding for many of the causes championed by the billionaire philanthropist.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Tags
- philanthropy
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