NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Beggars Can Be Choosers

A successful micro finance business model for the poorest of the poor is creating waves in rural Bengal. At 7.30 AM, Bikash Dey Sarkar, an employee of Bandhan Microfinance, is out at work, surrounded by close to 150-odd villagers, watching him scribble a map on the mud floor of a makeshift community centre. Sarkar is not a cartographer but is on an assignment to create a data bank of ultra low net worth individuals in far flung villages. He draws a map of houses, landmarks and roa...

Source

Business Standard (link opens in a new window)

Region

South Asia

How One Woman May Bring Safe Water to Millions

When Cynthia Koenig, from New York, realized that one in six people lack reliable access to water she wanted to do something about it. Her solution was a 25-gallon drum that can be pushed or pulled and takes away much of the burden of carrying water on the head, which is the traditional method women use in many parts of the world. Koenig considers herself a social entrepreneur, a new breed of entrepreneur who has innovative solutions to society’s most pressing social problems ...

Source

ABC News (link opens in a new window)

Region

South Asia

9 Million Indian Microfinance Clients Crossed $1.25 a Day Threshold

Counting the net number of people who crossed from below the USD 1.25 a day consumption in India between 1990 and 2010, a study by India Development Foundation (IDF) shows that nearly 9 million Indian households involved in microfinance - including approximately 45 million family members moved above USD 1.25 threshold during the last two decades. According to the IDF report which was released by the Microcredit Summit Campaign, a program of the US-based advocacy group RESULTS Educationa...

Source

Microfinance Focus (link opens in a new window)

Region

South Asia

In Bangledesh, ADBB, IDB Loans to Fill In Huge Power Deficit

Bangladesh will soon be developing new sources of sustainable energy, thanks to loans totaling $581 million from the Asian Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank. This is expected to fill in the country’s huge power deficit, as almost half of the population does not have access to electricity. The ADB will provide $300 million for the construction of a new natural gas-fueled power station to replace a...

Source

Devex News (link opens in a new window)

Region

South Asia

Microfinance Gets Lending Boost with RBI Nod to Crowdsourcing

India’s microlending sector has got a significant nudge with the central bank giving its first nod to a crowdsourcing company to attract small loans from abroad for the country’s poor. Following the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) approval, individuals or institutions from anywhere in the world can use Milaap’s online platform to identify whom they want to lend to, widely expanding the capital source for the company. They can extend as little as Rs.1,000 to fund someone...

Source

livemint.com (link opens in a new window)

Region

South Asia

Ross Establishes India Initiatives under Faculty Director M.S. Krishnan

ANN ARBOR, Mich.-Dean Alison Davis-Blake has established the Ross School of Business India Initiatives and appointed M.S. Krishnan as faculty director. Krishnan is the Joseph Handleman Professor of Business Information Technology and a Hallman Research Fellow at Ross. The India Initiatives comprise, but are not limited to, the C.K. Prahalad Initiative and the Center for Global Resource Leverage: India. As faculty director of India Initiatives, Krishnan will report to Associate Dean for ...

Source

Michigan Ross School of Business (link opens in a new window)

Region

South Asia

Slum-free India Scheme to be Taken Up as National Mission

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said the government’s endeavour is to make the country slum-free through the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) scheme and empowering slum dwellers with house ownership. "We have taken a major step for our poor brothers and sisters living in cities. We have approved the Rajiv Awas Yojana. We want to make India slum free through this scheme," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in his Independence Day address to the nation in New Delhi. The RAY, the ...

Source

The Hindu (link opens in a new window)

Categories

Uncategorized

Region

South Asia

Villgro Incubatee Raises VC Investment

Villgro Innovations Foundation is pleased to announce that Skymet, a company incubated by Villgro, has successfully raised a significant round of investment from Omnivore Capital for 33% of it’s equity. Jatin Singh founded and promotes Skymet ...

Region

South Asia