NextBillion - A WDI Publication

Half of Microcredit Goes to Well-off People: Study

Although the microfinance concept was developed to assist marginal people to address poverty, around 50 percent of micro credit goes to the well-off, reports UNB. "A lot of microcredit is wasted on the well-off; there is yet another problem that many of the poorer households do not benefit from it," said Prof SR Osmani, teacher of Development Economics at the University of Ulster, UK and a visiting fellow of Institute of Microfinance in Dhaka. Referring to the findings o...

Source

The Financial Express (link opens in a new window)

Region

South Asia

How a Pharmaceutical Giant is Battling Malnutrition on the Ground in Haiti

All too often, corporate philanthropy involves dropping a wad of money on organizations that are doing work on an issue that the corporation "cares" about, and then saying goodbye. But sometimes, corporations actually bring their know-how and human capital to bear on a problem, in addition to just giving money. The global pharmaceutical company Abbott is taking the second path, focusing on long-lasting initiatives that can grow local economies in struggling areas. Case in point: Abbott’s ...

Source

Fast Company (link opens in a new window)

Region

Latin America

India Taps Communication Tools to Transform Villages

Several Indian companies are relying on a host of communication technologies to bridge the digital divide by offering sustainable solutions for rural India. Some 70 percent of India’s population, or nearly 750 million people, live in villages but contribute just 30 percent of country’s GDP. This is likely why rural consumers have long been ignored by marketers. However, this is gradually changing, especially since the rural share of consumer goods today is...

Source

ZDNet (link opens in a new window)

Region

South Asia

Tags

poverty alleviation

East Asia Invests in Basic Sanitation

A series of reports by the World Bank’s Water and Sanitation Program highlights that households that invest in basic sanitation have a better standard of living and thus could increase up to seven fold the return on investment in economic benefits in East Asia. The reports are a follow up to the Economics of Sanitation Initiative (ESI) launched in East Asian countries in 2007. The new reports contain a case study analysis on the costs and benefits of investing in basic improvements ...

Source

Microfinance Focus (link opens in a new window)

Region

Asia Pacific

Mobile Phone Technology for Development in Bangladesh

Tahmima Anam, a Bangladeshi writer in India to promote her latest book, said in a recent interview that Dhaka is a city bursting at the seams but with a surprisingly tangible energy of possibility. This energy-often driven by an overwhelming necessity to act quickly in a country of extreme poverty-has ignited innovation in many areas, development included. Bangladesh’...

Source

Beyond Profit (link opens in a new window)

Region

South Asia

Microfinance Meets Micro Healthcare

In an attempt to provide affordable micro health program to the underserved sections of the society, Mysore (Karnataka, India) based healthcare consultancy and service provider Suddanand Healthcare has developed a symbiotic relationship with microfinance institutions in Karnataka. Utilizing the existing customer base infrastructure of MFIs in the state, Suddanand Healthcare program is ensuring higher efficiency, standardization of charges, greater awareness and penetration of health car...

Source

Microfinance Focus (link opens in a new window)

Region

South Asia

Why Zimbabwe’s Cool-Sounding Plan to Give Away Millions of CFLs Isn’t a Good Solution

Zimbabwe’s power supply is erratic, to say the least. The country imports nearly half of its power from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and it still has to turn off power supplies for up to 10 hours at a time just to keep up with demand. In an effort to curb power consumption, the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) recently decided to hand out 5.5 million CFL bulbs at a cos...

Source

Fast Company (link opens in a new window)

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Five Most Innovative Social Entrepreneurs

Bangalore: It is still a matter of discussion, whether entrepreneurship is born or inbuilt; however, there are many who have succeeded to create a niche for themselves in the business world by doing something out of the league. These are the social entrepreneurs who thought of bringing in certain reform in the society rather than just enjoying the pleasant sound of coins. Bindeshwar Pathak An Indian sociologist, Bindeshwar Pathak is the found...

Source

Silicon India (link opens in a new window)

Region

South Asia