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Gross Loan Portfolio Increases 39.3% in Pakistan’s Microfinance Sector
The gross loan portfolio of the microfinance sector increased 39.3% year on year (YoY) to reach Rs93 billion at the end of 2015.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- North Africa & Near East
- Tags
- lending, microfinance
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Ericsson Report: Mobile Phones Provide Fast Track to Financial Inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa
Even as mobile money services become part of daily life for millions in Sub-Saharan Africa, many potential customers face basic barriers to accessing the services on their own mobile phones. Lack of awareness and basic prerequisites, and low appreciation of the benefits are some of the hurdles.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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This Tiny Bot Glows to Diagnose Tuberculosis
Scientists have engineered nanoparticles to do all sorts of amazing things, from killing diseased cells in the body to creating a powerful water-resistant coating. Now a team led by researchers at Brock University in Canada has created a nanobot that can help diagnose disease more quickly and accurately than before. The scientists recently published a study outlining the technology in the journal ACS Nano.
- Categories
- Health Care, Technology
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Google gives $1M grant, engineers to fight Zika virus
Google is taking steps to combat the spread of Zika in Brazil and throughout Latin America. The Internet giant's philanthropic arm, Google.org, is giving a $1 million grant to UNICEF.
- Categories
- Health Care
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MetLife Foundation and ‘The Financial Inclusion Challenge’ Seek Best Solutions for Financial Access Across Asia
MetLife Foundation announced today its exclusive sponsorship of the second year of The Financial Inclusion Challenge. The Challenge, sponsored by MetLife Foundation and managed by The Wall Street Journal, is a competition encouraging nonprofit and for-profit organizations to showcase programs that provide innovative, sustainable solutions for individuals and families struggling to be part of the financial mainstream. Winners will be recognized at an awards dinner in Hong Kong later this year.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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Kenyan Government-backed Insurance to Cushion Farmers Against Poor Harvests
Farmers are set to benefit from a government-backed insurance plan with seven underwriters offering a cover against poor yields.
- Categories
- Agriculture
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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The Five Principles Behind the World’s Most Efficient Health Systems
One of the greatest conundrums in global health is why so many countries don’t get what they pay for. A relationship between health expenditure and health exists, but is far looser than you might think. Many nations spend a quarter or even a half of what others do for the same or better outcomes.
- Categories
- Health Care
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Latin America’s Informal Recyclers Push for Recognition and Protection on International Waste Pickers’ Day
You may not know it, but in Latin America and the Caribbean alone, around 4 million people making their living as waste pickers, according to figures from the Regional Initiative for Inclusive Recycling (IRR). Every day, these men and women collect, select, retrieve and sell solid waste from primary sources, which could be private homes, commercial or industrial sites, or even collection centers such as landfills.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Region
- Latin America
- Tags
- waste
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