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Afford Two, Eat One: A new report explores financial inclusion in rural Myanmar
Myanmar is a country with very low formal banking penetration, but changes are afoot that will stimulate domestic financial activity. In March of this year a team of Myanmar-based researchers mapped the changing financial landscape in the country, aiming to provide a foundational reference for organizations wishing to develop products and services for financially constrained consumers.
- Categories
- Education, Impact Assessment
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A Renewable Proposition (Part 1): Formerly E+Co, Persistent Energy Partners looks to solar horizon
The near collapse of E+Co as non-profit renewable energy impact investor has served as a cautionary tale throughout the impact investment community. Out of its ashes, for-profit Persistent Energy Partners emerged, and made its first acquisition late last year.
- Categories
- Energy, Impact Assessment
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NexThought Monday – Cash Transfers, Prejudice and Mental Health: MIT researchers discuss some overlooked aspects of their RCT on GiveDirectly
Cash transfers to the poor are often criticized as “handouts,” which dilute incentives to work, instill dependency, and may be wasted on alcohol, tobacco or other potentially harmful activities. But the researchers behind the recent randomized controlled trial on the cash transfer charity GiveDirectly argue that these criticisms are based on prejudice rather than fact, and that the economic impact of cash transfers is only part of the story.
- Categories
- Health Care, Impact Assessment
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Engaging Diasporas in Development Through Investment – Part 2: Calvert explores ways to facilitate migrant investment flows
Calvert Foundation explores ways to engage diasporas and migrants in international development through investment flows in their recent post, published in two parts on NextBillion. Part two discusses topics like how to appeal to younger investors, and whether social and environmental impact should play a role.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
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Engaging Diasporas in Development Through Investment – Part 1: Calvert explores ways to facilitate migrant investment flows
There is increasing interest among development organizations and aid agencies in harnessing the financial resources of global migrants to fund development needs in their countries of origin or heritage. Calvert Foundation shares lessons learned and key issues to consider when creating a strategy to engage diasporas in investment and international development.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
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From Financial Education to Capability – A Paradigm Shift: Financial education on its own is not enough to improve consumers’ financial health
Classroom-based educational programs for improving financial health have mixed results. Improved methods that support behavior change as well as knowledge gains are needed. Sarah Gordon, Vice President, Innovation Labs at CFSI spoke with the Citi Foundation’s COO, Brandee McHale, about the importance of these new approaches, and the organizations that are pioneering them.
- Categories
- Education, Impact Assessment
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Weekly Roundup – 5/10/14: Every investment is an “impact investment”
Every investment has a social/environmental impact on some level - a fact that more and more investors are taking into account. We discuss Stanford University’s decision to divest its $18.7 billion endowment of stock in coal-mining companies, and a recent J.P. Morgan/GIIN survey of top impact investors, in this roundup.
- Categories
- Education, Impact Assessment
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A Small Drop in a Large Bucket: The World Economic Forum’s Abigail Noble, on why impact investing needs to go mainstream
In 2012, less than $40 billion of capital had been committed to impact investments - out of tens of trillions in global capital. The World Economic Forum’s Mainstreaming Impact Investing initiative wants to help change that. In part 1 of our Impact Investing Insights series, we spoke with the initiative’s leader, Abigail Noble, about how to bring “$40 billion” a bit closer to “tens of trillions.”
- Categories
- Environment, Impact Assessment, Investing