-
Better Loans for Better Homes: A New Assessment Tool Helps Microfinance Institutions Increase Their Housing Impact
Most housing in developing countries is self-built and incremental, and these homeowners frequently turn to microfinance institutions (MFIs) to finance it. But according to Naeem Razwani and Jitendra Balanirom of Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter and Olivia Nielsen of Miyamoto International, this type of construction process can lead to severe quality and structural issues – while also increasing the lending risk for MFIs. They discuss how a new assessment tool can help these lenders understand and optimize the impact of their home loans to better meet the needs of this market.
- Categories
- Finance, Impact Assessment
-
Women and Sustainable Finance: Fuel for the Engine of COVID Recovery
There is broad consensus on the need to intervene as a matter of urgency, in order to provide relief for women and underserved communities. However, governments and businesses have the opportunity to go one step beyond, and build the kind of resilience that will outlast any pandemic.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
-
Press Release: DFC Promotes Gender Equity in Financing Across India With $50 Million Investment
U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) today announced the second disbursement of a $50 million loan to Northern Arc Capital to expand access to loans in several priority sectors across India.
- Region
- Asia Pacific
-
Cambodia Microfinance Association Members Have Restructured $1.4 Billion in Loans During the Pandemic
Financial institutions that are members of the Cambodia Microfinance Association (CMA) restructured some $1.397 billion in loans for 289,422 borrowers as of February 28 since the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) on March 27 issued a circular on loan restructuring during Covid-19, according to CMA.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
- Region
- South Asia
-
Press Release: Kinara Capital Secures 7 Million From IIX’s Women’s Livelihood Bond Series for HerVikas Discounted Loan Program for Women Entrepreneurs
Kinara Capital, a leading socially responsible fintech driving MSME financial inclusion, today announced securing INR 52 crores from Impact Investment Exchange (IIX) for the advancement of women entrepreneurs in India.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- Asia Pacific
- Tags
- financial inclusion, MSMEs
-
Minu, a Mexico City-Based, Pay-on-Demand Startup, Lands a $14 Million Series A
Many of the startups raising capital in Mexico are focused on financial inclusion, aiming to level the playing field in a country that is largely unbanked and has a burgeoning middle class.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Latin America
-
An Ironic Impact of COVID-19: Will the Pandemic Put Digital Health (Finally) on the Path to Reducing Health Inequalities at Scale in Emerging Markets?
The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a digital health revolution, and Michal Matul and Niti Pall at AXA Emerging Customers say these shifts could help close the healthcare access gap in emerging markets. Based on AXA's work bundling digital health services into its inclusive insurance products across nine countries, they share key lessons on how telemedicine can sustain this momentum and become a viable option for eliminating health inequalities over the long term.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Health Care, Technology
-
Analysis: In Uganda, Solar Home Systems Help Students Stay in School
One provider in Uganda is proving that an often-overlooked benefit of PAYGo – financial inclusion – can also affect education outcomes by keeping kids in the classroom.
Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter, "NextBillion Notes"
Published each Wednesday, our e-newsletter features NextBillion's latest original articles, along with a selection of news, jobs, bizdev opportunities and events from our recent coverage — and regular conference ticket giveaways.
We respect your privacy. Your information is safe and will never be shared.
Don't miss out. Subscribe today.