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Local Context Matters: Why Localization is Key to Accelerating Financial Inclusion in Africa
Mobile technology has proven to be an effective tool for broadening financial inclusion in Africa. But as Kenny Orisanaiye at HollaTags Limited points out, the continent’s cultural diversity complicates these efforts, as Africa has several thousand ethnic groups and over 2,000 distinct languages. He explores how financial service providers can design innovative solutions to this challenge by embracing localization and adapting their products and user engagement content to serve the specific cultural requirements of the African market.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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Analysis: Digital Generation, Our Generation: Girls Need Access to Digital Devices and Services
On the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child, millions of girls are coming together with organisations like UNICEF to call to close this digital gap and accelerate opportunities for girls.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- North Africa & Near East
- Tags
- accelerators, digital inclusion, SDGs, youth
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Fintech is Not Enough: Why Startup Investments in Africa Must Diversify Across Sectors
Africa is often considered one of the world's largest untapped venture markets, and this potential has fueled interest in the region's tech startups. But as Elo Umeh of Terragon Group explains, though investments have been increasing, they have typically focused only on certain sectors, like fintech and off-grid tech. He explores the value in diversifying these investments across other growing industries, including edtech, agritech and martech, and urges founders and investors to extend their resources to build a robust and complementary technology ecosystem on the continent.
- Categories
- Investing, Technology
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Analysis: Digitizing Africa’s Small and Midsize Businesses
To ensure Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) don’t get left behind and to accelerate digitization on the continent, startups, corporations, and policymakers should encourage digital solutions for consumers and business owners.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Nokia, Safaricom and UNICEF Partner To Connect Schools to the Internet Across Kenya
Nokia has come together with multiple stakeholders, including Safaricom, UNICEF and the Kenyan Ministries of Education and ICT, to connect close to 90 schools to the Internet in Kenya.
- Categories
- Education, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- digital inclusion, edtech
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Rethinking Community Connectivity: As the Pandemic Wears On, NGOs Turn to Technology for Information Dissemination and Behaviour Change
Behavior change and information dissemination initiatives face many challenges in emerging economies, and COVID-19 has made their work even more difficult. But according to Abhishek Sharma at Glific, these efforts remain essential – whether they're focused on raising awareness of government programs or sharing accurate information about the pandemic. He explores how a growing movement of NGOs, governments and social enterprises are turning to digital communications channels to reach marginalized communities, and discusses Glific's WhatsApp-based approach.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Technology
- Tags
- COVID-19, data, digital inclusion, NGOs, nonprofits
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‘Lost Generation’ Fears as COVID Locks Out India’s Poor Students
Even before the pandemic, more than six million Indian girls and boys were already not going to school, according to UNICEF.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Education
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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India Edtech Giant Buys US-Based Kids Reading Platform Epic for $500 Million
India’s edtech giant BYJU’S has acquired a US-based digital reading platform expanding its existing global user-base.
- Categories
- Education, Technology
- Region
- Asia Pacific
- Tags
- digital inclusion, edtech
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