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A Digital Approach to Reducing Educational Inequality in Africa – During and After COVID-19
As COVID-19 spreads through sub-Saharan Africa, its long-term impact on children's education is becoming clear, as over 253 million students are not in school due to closures caused by the crisis. Wambura Kimunyu at Eneza discusses the company's innovative platform, which provides educational content via SMS texts – and how it's working to expand access to the platform in response to the pandemic.
- Categories
- Education, Technology
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Tackling the COVID-19 Coffee Crisis: Can Blockchain Strengthen the Link Between Producers and Buyers?
COVID-19 is having a major negative impact on many sectors, and the coffee industry is no exception. The closing of restaurants and cafes has reduced consumption, and according to Isabel van Bemmelen at the Progreso Foundation, coffee producers have been especially hard hit. She explores a blockchain-driven solution that could help producers survive the pandemic.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Coronavirus, Transportation
- Tags
- blockchain, COVID-19, employment, lending
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Report: The 3 Essential Elements for the Circular Jobs of the Future
How big is the opportunity for circular jobs? Some wildly ambitious, multi-trillion-dollar projections that made headlines several years ago have been picked apart for failing to take into account the increasing automation of labor as well as import and export flows.
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- Energy, Environment
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Viewpoint: My Business Is ‘Essential.’ It Doesn’t Feel That Way.
The grocery check-out clerk, the child-care provider, and the gas-station attendant all have been asked to keep working in most places during the Covid-19 pandemic so that the police officer, the pilot, and the emergency-room nurse can get their jobs done.
- Categories
- Coronavirus
- Region
- North America
- Tags
- employment
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Report: Almost 25 Million Jobs Could Be Lost Worldwide as a Result of COVID-19, Says ILO
An initial assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on the global world of work says the effects will be far-reaching, pushing millions of people into unemployment, underemployment and working poverty, and proposes measures for a decisive, co-ordinated and immediate response.
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Coronavirus is Shining a Light on America’s Lack of Paid Sick Leave: Here’s How Savings Can Help
As the coronavirus pandemic unfolds, public health authorities are encouraging people to stay home if they're sick. But for many U.S. workers – especially those with lower-incomes and gig economy jobs – taking a sick day is unpaid, so staying home has serious financial implications. Timothy Flacke at Commonwealth highlights this challenge, and discusses how innovative savings solutions can help.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance, Health Care
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‘Platform-Led Upskilling’ in Africa: Can Digital Platforms Help Close the Continent’s Skills Gap?
Rising mobile and internet access have resulted in a profusion of digital marketplace platforms in emerging markets like Africa. These platforms have injected structure into informal markets, connecting buyers to sellers and workers to jobs. And according to Jessica Osborn at Caribou Digital, they're also delivering other benefits. She explores how digital platforms are closing the skills gap and transforming the future of work in Africa and beyond.
- Categories
- Technology
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The World’s Most Ignored Startups: Why Our Innovation Ecosystems are Failing Creative Entrepreneurs
Millions of under-recognized artists, innovators and entrepreneurs are driving the steady growth of the world’s most untapped startup economy: creative businesses. As Priya Krishnamoorthy at Boston University explains, the creative economy generates US $2.25 trillion in revenue and creates nearly 30 million jobs globally, while impacting the lives of people everywhere. She explores why this sector should be on the radar of impact investors, non-profits and others in the innovation ecosystem.
- Categories
- Telecommunications