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Indonesia’s farmers to enjoy microloan boon next year
Indonesian farmers can expect to find a micro-credit program specifically designed to fulfill their financing needs next year. On Tuesday, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo called on his Cabinet to design a micro-credit program specifically designed for the agriculture sector to increase the amount of financing farmers could receive. He acknowledged that the current micro-credit program was too broad.
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- Agriculture
- Region
- South Asia
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Financial Inclusion Forum: The Technology Revolution
Technology was a recurring theme during the recent Financial Inclusion Forum. Eugene Amusin, chairman of the event, points out that while fintech is an enabler – it can decrease costs, providing new entrants with a competitive edge over incumbents who have legacy systems – there is a risk of new technology looking for problems to solve vs. creating technology to address identified obstacles.
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- Uncategorized
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Paytm to merge its mobile wallet service with its payments bank in India
One 97 Communications, the parent company of digital payments provider Paytm is preparing to merge its wallet service with the eponymous payments bank-- the licence for which is owned by its founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma— once it receives regulatory approval.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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Grameen Foundation lndia Launches G-LEAP e-Learning App
Grameen Foundation India, a technical services provider dedicated to advancing financial inclusion, launched Grameen Learning Program (G-LEAP), a first of its kind e-learning app for microfinance institutions which enables any-time, any-where learning. Powered by Handytrain, the app will help organizations train frontline microfinance staff and agents quickly and cost-effectively, anywhere and at anytime.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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Social Funds Tie Pay to Impact
Plenty of investment professionals have their compensation tied to hitting specific financial targets. But does that metric make sense for increasingly popular socially responsible funds?
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
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Indian MFIs Say All Is Now Well in Loan Repayment
While India’s cash-dominated microfinance sector was reeling under stress following the recall of high value currencies, sector leaders such as Ujjivan Financial Services and Bharat Financial Inclusion have come forward to defuse concerns raised by stakeholders.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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Borrowers may exploit loophole as eight MFIs transition to small banks in India
The transition of eight microfinance institutions (MFIs) to small finance banks has opened a new source of loans for their customers and potential worries on their repayment capacity.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
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America’s Poor Still Lack Access to Basic Banking Services
Despite a sprawling and varied financial industry, more than one-quarter of Americans don’t have adequate access to basic banking tools, such as checking accounts, credit cards, or loans for instance. That group—known as the underbanked—is made up of those who suffer the most from growing inequality and systemic marginalization: Americans with low incomes, those with less than a college degree, and minorities.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- North America
