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How open data can help the Global South, from disaster relief to voter turnout
In Africa, Latin America, Asia and beyond, hopes are high that access to data can help developing economies by increasing transparency, fostering sustainable development, building climate resiliency and the like.
- Categories
- Technology
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Fintech companies take on banks, telcos with big data arsenal in Africa
Developing markets such as Kenya do not yet have the levels of Internet penetration and e-commerce sophistication to attract these online giants turned fintech entrepreneurs. At the same time, a stable of local fintech companies are sprouting and they are expected to mature as fast Internet becomes more affordable and as Kenyans embrace shopping and banking online.
- Categories
- Financial Inclusion
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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How ‘Designing Under the Mango Tree’ Can Prevent Digital Solution Hiccups
Like an off-road vehicle, when you build a digital solution, you want to build with the most challenging environments in mind. Why? So the digital solution can scale with fewer hiccups, as it grows outward. Mobile services company Dimagi calls it “designing under the mango tree,” and it requires working in partnership with a variety of end users. It's hard work, Kathryn M. Clifton writes, but worth it.
- Categories
- Technology
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World Telecom Day: How data holds the key to sustainable development goals
The world is experiencing a data deluge with millions of devices and things talking to each other. According to one estimate, 90% of this data was created in the last few years only. As Eric Schmidt famously said, “There were 5 Exabyte of information created between the dawn of civilization through 2003, but that much information is now created every 2 years”.
- Categories
- Financial Inclusion, Technology
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Social Business Roundup: SOCAP Aims for the Mainstream, Cambodia Caps Microcredit, Quali Health Simplifies Health Care
In announcing its new ownership, SOCAP mentioned the word “mainstream” six times – the popular social business and investing conference is clearly aiming to grow beyond its current niche. In Cambodia, the National Bank capped interest on microcredit to a maximum of 18 percent per year – about half of what some MFIs currently charge. And a visit to India inspired a South African doctor to launch a profitable health care clinic in a local shantytown. These stories and more in our weekly roundup.
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How Philips is using AI to transform healthcare
Philips Innovation Campus is using technologies such as machine and deep learning, artificial intelligence technologies to help in the early detection of diseases.
- Categories
- Health Care
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Big Funders, Big Data: The Growing Quest to Learn More About Global Health
Back in 2015, when Bloomberg Philanthropies teamed up with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to launch a $100 million Data for Health initiative, we learned something surprising: According to the World Health Organization, around two-thirds of all deaths around the world go unrecorded—that’s around 35 million people.
- Categories
- Health Care
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Why the Crusade Against Cash Isn’t Clearly ‘Pro-Poor’ – UPDATED
Many assume that getting rid of cash in the name of financial inclusion would unequivocally be a good thing for the poor. Phil Mader says it's too early to say – and that cash might have insufficiently recognized advantages, including being free to use, anonymous and under public stewardship. And besides, he argues, if the mission is poverty alleviation, it’s not money’s physical form, but how it's distributed, that matters.
- Categories
- Financial Inclusion, Technology
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