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The Future of Microfinance: An Interview With Ira W. Lieberman
Though its profile is somewhat lower than in its heyday, microfinance remains a relevant player in the development sector, supporting some 200 million people worldwide. A new book, “The Future of Microfinance,” contemplates the industry's tumultuous evolution and future development. NextBillion spoke with Ira W. Lieberman, a co-editor of the book, to discuss its thought-provoking insights.
- Categories
- Finance
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Fintech Startup Remitly Raises $85M
Fintech startup Remitly has raised $85 million in a new round of funding, bumping its valuation up to $1.5 billion.
- Categories
- Finance
- Tags
- cash transfers, fintech, remittances, startups
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M-Pesa Dominates Kenyan Mobile Money Market – Will a Challenger Emerge From Telkom-Airtel Merger?
M-Pesa’s mobile money dominance has reportedly swelled to almost 99%
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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The Power of Local Women: An Innovative Social Capital Model Addresses Rural Financial Inclusion in India During COVID-19
To reduce the economic impact of COVID-19, the Indian government has transferred money into women’s bank accounts. But as Prabhat Labh at Grameen Foundation India and Sourajit Aiyer at South Asia Fast Track Sustainability Communications point out, the rural population often struggles to access those funds. They explore how the Grameen Mitra model leverages a network of village-based women to get cash transfers to where they're needed most.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
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Viewpoint: COVID-19 in Rural Communities — Building Back Better in the Global South
As the COVID-19 pandemic has flooded the world and infiltrated many of the global south’s most rural, most impoverished communities, attention has turned to what the future will look like.
- Categories
- Coronavirus
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BigPay’s Remittance Service Achieves Record Growth
BigPay’s remittance service has grown at an average of 35 per cent month-on-month since its launch in September 2019 and it now looking to open up more corridors across the Asian region.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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Cash Transfers in the U.S. are Exploding: Here’s How to Make them Effective, During COVID-19 and Beyond
The U.S., like over 130 countries around the world, has deployed direct cash transfers to mitigate the hardships of COVID-19. But as Sheida Isabel Elmi and Rachel Black at the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program point out, many U.S. households were financially insecure even before the pandemic began. They argue that cash transfers should be an ongoing response to these vulnerabilities, and share research on how to leverage these programs for the fullest benefit.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance