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$60 Million for SME Impact Investment Vehicle B in Africa
At least six development finance institutions are committing $60 million to the Bamboo-UNCDF Initiative for Least Developed Countries (BUILD). The vehicle will invest in impact projects led by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Panama Is Poised to Approve the Use of Bitcoin and 8 Other Cryptos ‘Without Limitation’
Lawmakers in Panama have approved a bill that would regulate the use of Bitcoin and eight other cryptocurrencies to be used to pay taxes and private transactions.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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We-Fi announces New Round of Funding for Women Entrepreneurs; $15 Million to the Africa Digital Financial Inclusion Facility to Improve Access to Finance for Women-owned Small Businesses
Africa Digital Financial Inclusion Facility (ADFI) will receive $15 million to develop and extend digital financial solutions to women-owned small and medium businesses.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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African Development Bank Approves $180 Million Loans to Extend Electricity Access to Rural Areas in Rwanda
This follows the 26 May 2021 approval for $84.2 million from the resources of the African Development Fund (ADF), the concessional window of the Bank Group, for the same project.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Kenya Eyes $244 Million Budget Support From IMF
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) plans to release $244 million to Kenya to finance its budget “in the coming weeks” after its staff expressed their satisfaction with Nairobi’s economic reforms in the face of Covid-19.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Coronavirus, Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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India’s Blanket Approach to Financial Inclusion Is Leaving Women Behind: Here Are Four Ways to Close the Gender Gap
India's Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana program has been a game-changer for financial inclusion in the country. But according to Akhand Jyoti Tiwari, Sonal Jaitly and Saloni Tandon at MSC, the campaign faces considerable challenges, as evidenced by India's substantial gender gap in account ownership and usage. They argue that the program's blanket approach has contributed to these gaps, by overlooking women’s unique needs while targeting the population at large. They explore four things the country can do to better enhance the financial inclusion of women.
- Categories
- Finance, Impact Assessment, Technology
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Building a Transformative Gender Approach into Graduation Programs: Lessons Learned from a Three-Year Initiative in Latin America
Latin America is home to 86 million people living in extreme poverty – and women in the region are particularly impacted. Graduation programs have shown their effectiveness at addressing the multi-dimensional challenges of poverty, but Laura Morínigo and Carolina de Miranda at Fundación Capital argue that these programs must do more to address gender inequalities. They discuss the results of an initiative that integrated a transformative gender approach into poverty graduation, and explore how this approach can amplify these programs' impact on women.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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Payu Doubles Down on Latin American Fintech, Acquires Ding and Leads $46 Million Investment in ‘Superapp’ Treinta in Colombia
PayU, the fintech business controlled by Prosus with operations in 50+ countries announced a double-deal today to expand its presence in Latin America.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Latin America