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Financial Inclusion in Africa: “Things Are Further Behind Than People Think”
Plenty of progress has been made on increasing the size of Africa’s banked population. The trouble is, from the amount of noise that is made about the topic, you would be forgiven for thinking we had fixed the problem when we really haven’t.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Prepaid Meters Scupper Gains Made in Accessing Water in Africa
While many countries appear to have met the U.N. Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of halving the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water, rights activists say that African countries which have taken to installing prepaid water meters have rendered a blow to many poor people, making it hard for them to access water.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Health Care
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Overcoming the Psychology of the Social Entrepreneur
The journey of entrepreneurship, though rewarding in some aspects, can be one of the most psychologically draining experiences one may ever face. According to today’s status quo of existence, the perception of corporate anxiety is well known, supported and actively spotlighted that ascension of the corporate ladder is a dream fully realized. Is the same ecosystem available to entrepreneurs? No. It is the complete opposite. Our culture idolizes successful entrepreneurs and expects that they use their psychological lows to fuel their innovations and breakthroughs. Furthermore, they are expected to display mockery of their struggles to prove perseverance and inspire the next wave of entrepreneurs and transform industry paradigms. Yet this societal expectation comes at a price- a price tag that only entrepreneurs pay with their mind.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
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Bitcoin – The Next Big Thing in Finance (Or Is It?)
Asked to name an event that has reshaped finance in recent years, bankers will point to the collapse of Lehman Brothers on September 15th 2008, the nadir of the financial crisis. Fintech types are more likely to mention something that happened six weeks later. On October 31st 2008 Satoshi Nakamoto, a pseudonymous cryptography buff whose real identity remains a mystery, unveiled a project he dubbed bitcoin, “a new electronic cash system that’s fully peer-to-peer, with no trusted third party”. It described what appeared to be a robust framework for a currency that could run without the backing of any government. Enthusiasts proclaimed that finance was about to enter the era of crypto-currencies. Since the need for a trusted third party has traditionally been a large part of the banks’ raison d’être, this could mean that in future they will no longer be required—potentially a much more radical change than the other inroads fintech has made on their business.
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- Uncategorized
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Hunt for AIDS Cure Accelerates As GSK and U.S. Experts Link Up
Britain's GlaxoSmithKline , which decided last week to retain rather than float off its HIV drugs business, is to collaborate with U.S. scientists in developing a cure for AIDS.
- Categories
- Health Care
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Press Release: Botswana-UPenn Partnership Teams with Microsoft to Launch Telemedicine Service over TV White Spaces Network
The Botswana-UPenn Partnership (BUP) is collaborating with Microsoft, the Botswana Innovation Hub, and other global partners to launch the first telemedicine service in Africa using TV white spaces to bring internet connectivity to hospitals and clinics across rural areas of Botswana. The pilot project, called “Project Kgolagano,” will provide clinical consultations and diagnoses to a patient population who would otherwise have to travel far distances to the capital city of Gaborone, Botswana, for specialized care.
- Categories
- Health Care, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Alibaba’s B2B Plan Could Change the World of Cross-Border Commerce
Alibaba is a huge fan of the B2B business model. The eCommerce conglomerate, which has overhauled China’s B2C online shopping industry, has launched several initiatives within the B2B market, including partnerships in other Asian economies to launch wholesale eCommerce services in Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia. The company has also fostered B2B eCommerce startups through its competitionrecently held in Hong Kong to promote innovation and progress in the industry.
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- regulations
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Eyes on the Prize: Ahmad Ashkar
If you’ve followed social entrepreneurship news even slightly in the past few years, you won’t have failed to witness the unstoppable rise of the Hult Prize.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment