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Innovations in Financial Inclusion: Delivering Capital to MSMEs and Growing Businesses in India
India's 51 million-plus micro, small and medium enterprises are critical drivers of growth in the nation's economy, employing an estimated 115 million people. But due to several factors, including information asymmetry, the sector has been unable to access credit as readily as larger corporations. Intellegrow CEO Akbar Khan discusses some innovations and initiatives that are helping deliver capital to these vital businesses.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship, Financial Inclusion, Investing
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One Million Colombians Entered the Formal Financial System for the First Time in 2016
Of those who were added to that total last year, more than half were women and more than 70% were between the ages of 18 and 40.
- Categories
- Financial Inclusion
- Region
- Latin America
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Can Digital Credit Outperform Microcredit in the Developing World?
Microfinance has been hailed as a transformative force for poor households and entrepreneurs in emerging markets. But recent evidence suggests it is not the silver bullet it was once thought to be. Meanwhile, mobile phones have become ubiquitous in most developing countries, and Alexandra Wall, Natasha Beale and Carson Christiano explore whether digital credit can do a better job than microcredit in meeting the needs of the underserved.
- Categories
- Financial Inclusion, Impact Assessment, Investing
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Why M-Akiba bond may present new headache to many banks in Kenya
The banks, which are already reeling from the effects of interest rates capping, now face huge competition on deposits from the bond, which gives 10 per cent interest a year, above the capped 7 per cent that banks are offering.
- Categories
- Financial Inclusion, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Mobile Podcasts: A Cost-Effective Way to Boost Financial Literacy in India
As a reader of this blog, you likely find it easy to read and understand instructions about basic banking processes, and breeze through simple transactions like ATM withdrawals. But what about those who lack literacy skills, or who are just getting introduced to the world of finance? Mobile phone podcasts, particularly those delivered to targeted audiences in their language, can be a solution. With the potential to reach more than 1 billion mobile subscribers in India, mobile phone podcasts could bring financial literacy to underserved communities.
- Categories
- Financial Inclusion, Technology
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Why India needs to work on financial literacy now more than ever
India is home to 17.5% of the world’s population but nearly 76% of its adult population does not understand even the basic financial concepts. Empirical evidence shows that digital efforts on financial education have had a far greater impact than the traditional media.
- Categories
- Financial Inclusion
- Region
- South Asia
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Affordable Capital For Small Businesses And Other Innovative Vehicles For The Impact Investing World
Called Capital Aggregation, it’s a recently launched business line for Calvert Foundation, aimed at mission-driven companies, as well as financial advisors and their accredited clients who are interested in fixed-income impact investment deals.
- Categories
- Investing
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How To Invest Your Money Responsibly, Sustainably, Or For Impact (They’re Not The Same)
Now you want to invest it wisely, as in–not just leave it in a checking account that pays next to no interest. Ideally, you want to make a decent return, but you also want to be responsible about it... You want to invest the money sustainably, but maybe not in the traditional ways. What are your options?
- Categories
- Investing
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