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Social Enterprise Sector Is Missing Link in Africa Wealth-Creation Chain
The objectives of social businesses are generally seen as meeting social goals. They often reinvest profits back into the business or target audience or community. Africans may have to start thinking of using social enterprises -- whether at village, community or non-governmental organisations -- to create businesses, manufacture goods, expand financial services and farm commercially; and to serve as alternative public-service providers, delivering education, energy and accessible finance.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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The real promise of regulatory technology in financial inclusion
Financial authorities could someday run digitally, but getting there is not going to be easy. In many countries, regulators today often use fax machines, let alone cloud-based software and analytics. And yet, the future of the financial sector depends on modernizing regulatory authorities.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
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From Trash to Resource: How Technology Can Help Informal Waste Pickers Solve India’s Recycling Problem
Due to its dependence on informal waste pickers, urban waste management in India is at once a complex problem to solve, and an excellent business opportunity. Kabadiwalla Connect, a tech-based social enterprise, is using smartphones and innovative logistics to help this informal ecosystem of urban recyclers make a better living and keep untold tons of garbage out of landfills.
- Categories
- Environment, Social Enterprise, Technology, WASH
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How SAJIDA Foundation Nearly Doubled Customer Uptake of Savings Accounts
Astha, a term deposit account, allows SAJIDA Foundation members in Bangladesh to save toward a purchase or financial goal. Through the OPTIX project, BFA conducted data analytics and client research with SAJIDA and eventually redesigned the accounts. After rolling out the new features, the foundation saw a 97 percent increase in accounts opened and 59 percent more mobilization of savings.
- Categories
- Finance
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Three Social Business Lessons from Detroit’s ‘Grassroots Entrepreneurs’
The self-determination that characterizes many Detroit entrepreneurs is a powerful paradigm for emerging markets, say authors Amy Gillett and Nathan Rauh-Bieri, and would-be providers of social entrepreneurship interventions should note a lesson learned: Make sure what you are offering is requested by the community, customized for the community and implemented with the community.
- Categories
- Education, Social Enterprise
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Neglected tropical diseases: Funding the next stage of the fight
Delegates (at the recent NTDs Summit in Geneva, Switzerland) highlighted that while NTDs are considered one of the best buys in public health, they continue to be underfunded, and remain largely dependent on donors.
- Categories
- Health Care
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The Nigerian Prototype: Youth, Companies, Government Rallying Around the SDGs
Nigeria-based Sahara Group has translated the Sustainable Development Goals into strategies that resonate alongside all facets of its work, says Karen Newman. The organization also helped bring together a variety of stakeholders – including young people, a network of companies dedicated to alleviating poverty and the government – to provide greater political traction and ownership of the SDGs.
- Categories
- Education
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African governments set to stare down a healthy PATH
While several African countries have invested in a growing pipeline of high-impact, cost-effective innovations for healthcare, the innovations were largely reliant on foreign investments, according to Craig Friderichs, a country director of international health NGO PATH.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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