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Supporting Microfinance During the Pandemic: Lessons From a COVID-19 Response Program
The COVID-19 crisis has had serious impacts on the microfinance industry and the micro and small enterprises it typically serves, leading to a decrease in both the quality and volume of microfinance institution (MFI) portfolios. Mathilde Bauwin of ADA explains how the organization designed and implemented a response program to help its partner MFIs overcome the pandemic's challenges. She shares lessons learned during the process, which could be useful in helping MFIs navigate future crises.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
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10 Financial Literacy Solutions Receive Grants, Support From Nationwide Innovation Challenge
Ten financial literacy innovations were awarded grants and support from PhilDev Foundation and Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation, Inc. (CLFI) to boost financial literacy in underserved communities in the Philippines.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- South Asia
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Press Release: 9 in 10 Want Flexible Pay: Impact of Earned Wage Access Revealed in a New Study From Wagestream, 60 Decibels
The impact of Earned Wage Access—whereby employers remove extended, locked pay cycles and return to more flexible pay cycles—has been revealed, in the industry’s first in-depth impact assessment.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
- Region
- Global
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Opportunity or Threat: Are Healthy Partnerships Possible Between Digital Financial Services and Microfinance Institutions in Bangladesh?
Microfinance institutions in Bangladesh reach over 32 million customers with a loan portfolio of around US $9 billion. According to Jakirul Islam at Bank Asia, partnerships with digital financial services (DFS) could benefit both microfinance and DFS providers and their customers – but these partnerships are not functioning at their full potential. He shares four key benefits that are driving interest in these collaborations, and explores their inherent challenges – and some partnership models that could address them.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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Uruguayan Unicorn’s $10 Billion Nasdaq Float Shows Rising Power of Latin American Tech
South America is slowly emerging as a hotbed for fintech innovation. The world’s arguably biggest challenger bank NuBank hails from Brazil and is rumoured to be gearing up for a public listing in the US.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Latin America
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Press Release: Architect Capital Launches with $100 Million to Provide Asset-Based Financing to Technology Companies in the U.S. And Latin America
Architect Capital, an asset-based lender to early-stage technology businesses, announced that it has launched with over $100 million to provide non-dilutive or less-dilutive financing solutions to high-growth and technology-enabled businesses.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Latin America
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Addressing Predatory Lending Apps: Lessons From the Regulatory Response in Indonesia, India and the Philippines
Digital lending apps have provided financial inclusion to many in emerging markets, but complaints about predatory practices have been surging over the last two years. Financial inclusion and consumer protection consultant Hema Bansal explains how misleading marketing, inadequate disclosure of pricing, terms and conditions, and inappropriate collections practices have led to new regulatory responses in Indonesia, India and the Philippines. She shares which of these steps have proven effective — and where there is still room for improvement.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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SVB-Led $100 Million Investment Makes Chipper Cash Africa’s ‘Most Valuable Startup’
Chipper Cash, a three-year-old startup that facilitates cross-border payment across Africa, has closed a $100 million Series C round to introduce more products and grow its team.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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