Kiva
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Posts by Kiva
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Guest Articles
Thursday
May 6
2021Adapting to Survive: New Study Reveals the Importance of Digital Payments to Small and Micro Businesses in Mexico
An estimated 95% of businesses around the world are micro, small and medium enterprises, and they've been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 crisis. Devin Olmack and Ashley Speyer at 60 Decibels discuss a new study of 750+ small and micro businesses owners in Mexico, which illustrates how digital payments can help these businesses grow and weather unpredictable storms like the pandemic. They share personal stories of small business owners who have benefited from digital payment systems, and detail some remaining obstacles and opportunities for growth.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
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Guest Articles
Wednesday
April 28
2021Kathleen Yaworsky / Aaron Lewin
COVID-19 Is Showing Small Businesses the Benefits of Digital Financial Services: Here Are Three Ways Providers Can Use Data to Better Serve Them
Digital access to financial services has been growing in recent years, but COVID-19 has made it all the more necessary. BancoSol, a commercial bank serving 1.5 million Bolivian microentrepreneurs, saw its digital transactions rising over the last year and wanted to extend this trend beyond the pandemic — but it wasn't sure how. Kathleen Yaworsky at Accion and Aaron Lewin at Mastercard discuss how their organizations are supporting BancoSol through data-driven insights, and share three steps microfinance institutions can take to better serve the needs of their micro and small business customers.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
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Guest Articles
Thursday
April 8
2021The COVID-19 Effect: Why Latin America Needs a Workplace Wellness Revolution – and How Technology Can Enable It
Remote work is growing in Latin America, as it is around the globe, and the COVID-19 crisis has accelerated this shift. But as Greg Mitchell of Angel Ventures explains, working from home combined with the stressors of the pandemic is causing increased anxiety and burnout for workers. He shares how many companies in the region are adopting digital solutions to support employee mental health — from on-demand counseling and monitoring services to apps and chatbots — and discusses the market potential for this burgeoning solution.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Health Care, Technology
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Guest Articles
Tuesday
March 30
2021Launching India’s Microinsurance Revolution: How the Sector Can Build Upon Growing Customer Awareness Due to COVID-19
Since the start of COVID-19, customers in low- and middle-income countries like India have had an increased understanding of the value of insurance. But as Moin Qazi explains, typical insurance schemes are often unsuited for the unique needs of this population. He explores how microinsurance can better address these needs, and how providers and policymakers can capitalize on low-income customers' growing awareness of insurance's benefits – while navigating the business challenges of serving these communities.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Health Care
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Guest Articles
Friday
March 26
2021COVID-Era Innovations With Long-Term Impact: How the Pandemic Is Changing Investment in Frontier Markets
Africa's growing middle class, rapid urbanization and leapfrogging innovations have drawn substantial investor interest. But as Kristin Kelly Jangraw of USAID INVEST points out, high transaction costs, small deal sizes and risk (both real and perceived) have kept many investors on the sidelines. Though COVID-19 lockdowns have increased these challenges, she explores how the pandemic has also brought innovations that could have lasting positive effects on the industry and the region – including new tools for virtual due diligence and deal-making.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Investing, Technology
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Guest Articles
Friday
March 19
2021How Decentralized Business Models Can Serve India’s Rural Communities During – and After – COVID-19
Centralizing business operations can improve efficiency, but it can also hinder a company's ability to innovate and tailor products for local markets. Mahesh Yagnaraman at Acumen shares how two companies used their decentralized models to quickly address COVID-19's challenges and adjust their offerings accordingly. He explores how these agile models can better identify the needs of their communities, no matter how remote, and reach them effectively.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Entrepreneurship
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Guest Articles
Thursday
March 11
2021Achieving an Equitable COVID-19 Recovery Through Safe Housing: Why it’s Time for Financial Institutions to Step Up
Over 1.5 billion people around the world live in crowded housing with limited sanitary amenities — and during COVID-19, these households are at a particularly high risk of contracting or spreading the virus. Patrick McAllister explains how private-sector financial institutions can play a critical role in achieving equitable social and economic COVID-19 recovery by supporting home-related financing for low-income essential workers.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
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Guest Articles
Thursday
March 4
2021An Ironic Impact of COVID-19: Will the Pandemic Put Digital Health (Finally) on the Path to Reducing Health Inequalities at Scale in Emerging Markets?
The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a digital health revolution, and Michal Matul and Niti Pall at AXA Emerging Customers say these shifts could help close the healthcare access gap in emerging markets. Based on AXA's work bundling digital health services into its inclusive insurance products across nine countries, they share key lessons on how telemedicine can sustain this momentum and become a viable option for eliminating health inequalities over the long term.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Health Care, Technology
