NextBillion - A WDI Publication

Social Entrepreneurs Cross Between ’Richard Branson and Mother Teresa’

In the developed and developing worlds, governments and business have failed to solve many endemic social problems. In response to that failure, social entrepreneurs are using innovative solutions to bring about measurable change. Such social enterprise has arrived in a big way. Bill Clinton advocates it. Billionaires such as Bill Gates and Jeff Skoll fund it. With a growing track record of successful not-for-loss enterprises, social entrepreneurship is an idea wh...

Source

news.com.au (link opens in a new window)

Nigeria: New Bakassi Chairman Talks Tough

Calabar - THE newly sworn-in Chairman of the New Bakassi Local Government Area, Dr. Ekpo Bassey has pledged his administration’s commitment to fighting poverty to a stand-still by building capacity of the youths and providing micro-credit to them to boost their businesses. Bassey who announced his plans in Calabar Monday after being sworn-in as chairman of the New Bakassi Local Government Area by the Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke his administration would collaborat...

Source

allAfrica.com (link opens in a new window)

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Shoe Company Hopes to Kick-start Manufacturing in Africa

Made in Africa is not something you hear about very often. But Tal Dehtiar is trying to change that with his business, Oliberte, which he says is the first international company to market casual shoes made entirely in Africa. A Native-born Canadian, Dehtiar is one of a growing number of social entrepreneurs who want to do good while doing well. He launched his company two years ago, with an aim to make -- and sell -- shoes for the fashionista with a conscience. "For that man...

Source

CNN (link opens in a new window)

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Gates Foundation Outlines 7 Social Good Initiatives for 2011

Bill Gates has released his 2011 Annual Letter on behalf of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, drawing attention to seven ambitious social good initiatives. Gates stresses the need for renewed investment in foreign aid even as international budgets struggle against cuts and deficits. Gates positions himself as a representative for the world’s poorest, those who will not have a chance to lobby governments for support, writing: "Whether you believe it a moral imperative or in th...

Source

Mashable (link opens in a new window)

India?s Airtel Introduces Cash Payment by Mobile Phone

India’s largest mobile operator, Bharti Airtel, is offering its customers the facility to make payments through mobile phones, reflecting a growing interest by Indian mobile operators in addressing the large number of mobile users in the country that do not have access to banking and online facilities. Currently a large number of people in India pay in cash for goods and services, sometimes standing in long queues to pay for utilities like electricity and water supply. Bharti ...

Source

PCWorld (link opens in a new window)

Region

South Asia

Identifying a Billion Indians

In a small village north-west of Bangalore, peasants queue for identities. Each man fills in a form with his name and rough date of birth, or gets someone who can read to do it for him. He places his fingertips on one scanner and stares at another. A photograph of his face is snapped. These images are uploaded to a computer. Within a few weeks he will have an identity number. The Indian government is trying to give all 1.2 billion Indians something like an American Social Security numbe...

Source

The Economist (link opens in a new window)

Region

South Asia

Citi, Citi Foundation join hands with PMN

KARACHI: Citi and the Citi Foundation have joined hands with the Pakistan Microfinance Network (PMN) to launch Phase II of their flood relief efforts. Citi, the Citi Foundation and Citi Alumni have contributed over $425,000 toward the recent flooding disaster in the country. As part of Citi Pakistan’s Phase II of flood relief efforts, they have launched a ’Microfinance and Disaster Management Capacity Building Programme’ for the microfinance industry with the PMN. Through these pr...

Source

Daily Times (link opens in a new window)

Region

North Africa & Near East

Farm-Africa to Launch 150 Branded Veterinary Stores Across Kenya

More than 300,000 farmers in Kenya will have access to better animal healthcare with the nationwide launch ofa chain of veterinary stores offering standardised medical products for livestock. Farm-Africa has received funding to establish a network of 150 stores throughout the country over the next four years. The franchise is believed to be the first ...

Source

Guardian.co.uk (link opens in a new window)

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa