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PesaLink is no threat to M-Pesa, says Safaricom
The planned launch of interbank mobile money transfer system next month by commercial banks will not slow down revenues from Safaricom's M-Pesa, chief executive Bob Collymore has said. He says a significant number of close to 25 million customers on its money-minting machine, M-Pesa, will not be swayed by PesaLink because they do not hold conventional bank accounts.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Impact businesses in India are attracting investments with healthy returns
Businesses that tap a large number of customers in the lower-income bracket and are established with a clear social objective are increasingly becoming an attractive asset class in India, as they are globally. In India, while rural micro-credit, and then urban microfinance, saw growth and success over the last two decades, these businesses are now coming to the fore in a growing number of verticals and catching serious investor interest.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- South Asia
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Calls from rivals for higher charges by Safaricom rejected
Proposals by Airtel and Telkom Kenya that could have seen Safaricom forced to charge its customers higher rates than its rival telecommunications providers have been rejected by consultants hired to assess competition in the sector.
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- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Five Investments Countries Can Make for Healthier People and Economies
There is a crisis in our global health workforce. A looming shortage of 18 million skilled workers stands between us and the promise of universal health coverage—and the economies it could help stimulate.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Tags
- public health
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Somalia is a leader in mobile money but still wants to print its first cash notes in 25 years
The collapse of the Somali government in 1991 saw the rise of unique political, economic and social outfits, all clambering to fill the void of government institutions. After a few years of relative stability and successful elections, Somalia’s new government hopes to reverse all that. Buoyed by donors, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, the country now wants to resume printing banknotes this year.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Does Social Activism Divert Funds From Investments To Philanthropies?
Throughout the last three months, as activists resisted policy changes on immigration, trade and the environment, donations to the American Civil Liberties Union, the Sierra Club and other nonprofits reportedly spiked. But the trend wasn't entirely unexpected.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
- Region
- North America
- Tags
- philanthropy
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Five HIV patients left ‘virus-free’ with no need for daily drugs in early vaccine trials
A new vaccine-based treatment for HIV has succeeded in suppressing the virus in five patients, raising hopes further research could help prevent Aids without the need for daily drugs. Researchers combined two innovative HIV vaccines with a drug usually used to treat cancer in the trial, conducted over three years at the IrsiCaixa Aids Research Institute in Barcelona.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Region
- Europe & Eurasia
- Tags
- public health, research
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Enthusiasm for SRI Is Driving Changes In Wealth Management Units
At The Economist’s Impact Investing conference last week, Andy Sieg, the new leader of Bank of America’s Merrill Lynch Wealth Management said the “herd”—a moniker for the firm's network of more than 15,000 advisors—has never been as interested in socially responsible investing as it is now.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
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