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India looks to spread financial services via mobile app, quick loans portal
The Indian government has launched a web portal, a mobile application and a financial inclusion index in order to bring the country’s unbanked under the ambit of financial services industry.
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- Finance
- Region
- South Asia
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A pointed question to Unilever’s CEO unmasked a conflict in conscious capitalism
When Unilever CEO Paul Polman and the writer Anand Giridharadascame together on Thursday (Sept. 27) for a panel discussion about “conscious capitalism,” there was bound to be some disagreement.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
- Region
- South Asia
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Sri Lanka, UNDP launch social impact funds to support small businesses
Sri Lankan small firms and micro enterprises whose goals include ending poverty and environmental protection will be able to get money and management support from two social impact funds with total capital of US$25 million launched Wednesday.
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- Investing
- Region
- South Asia
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Metlife launches their i3 program in Bangladesh
Regional Director for Asia at MicroSave Manoj K Sharma said: “Although the mobile financial services in Bangladesh have been very successful, it is time to build upon this success story and translate it into a larger play around financial inclusion.”
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- Finance
- Region
- South Asia
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India: Satya MicroCapital raises $5.5m from two impact investment funds
Satya MicroCapital provides loans to small entrepreneurs in both rural and urban areas. Its limited liability group (LLG) model, mainly focuses on women, with their husbands acting as co-borrowers, through a credit product that allows them to start a new business or build their existing business.
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- Investing
- Region
- South Asia
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Press release: Essmart raises US$1.2M in financing for scaling innovative kirana shop network
Essmart, a last-mile distribution company for socially impactful goods in India, has closed US$1.2M in financing. The round was a mix of equity, debt, and grant funding from elea Foundation for Ethics in Globalization, Partners Group Impact Verein, DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft MBH, and Swiss Re Foundation.
- Source
- Press release
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- South Asia
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How Bill Gates, a valley full of snakes and one entrepreneur took on a deadly disease
The vaccine has made waves as a case study for global health solutions created in and by developing countries, with help from a network of international powers. It’s also getting attention for its incredibly low price: just $1 a dose.
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- Health Care
- Region
- South Asia
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How a shampoo bottle is saving young lives
Last year 920,000 children under the age of five died of pneumonia, making it the leading killer of people in that age group. This figure is falling (in 2011 it was 1.2m), but it still represents 16% of all infant deaths. Such deaths are not, however, evenly distributed. In Bangladesh pneumonia causes 28% of infant mortality.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Region
- South Asia