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Press release: OPIC launches Connect Africa initiative to invest more than $1 billion supporting infrastructure, communications, and value chain connectivity
“Africa is home to many of the world’s fastest-growing economies and presents both a great need for investment and a great opportunity for American businesses,” Washburne said. “But, too many barriers remain to the flow of goods and services. By focusing on connectivity, we’re not only helping build means for economic development, but also laying the foundation for future trade partners.”
- Categories
- Investing, Technology
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A Business Accelerator Puts India’s Urban WASH Challenges Front and Center
India's cities are plagued by multiple water, sanitation and hygiene challenges, from inadequate drinking water to low sewerage network coverage. Private sector innovators and entrepreneurs are tackling these challenges with new technologies, products, services and business models. But their successes are inconsequential compared with the scale of the problem. Niyatee Goyal and Aditya Tejas at Ennovent discuss a USAID-supported platform that's addressing these problems on several fronts – including through a business accelerator.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship, Health Care, Technology, WASH
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Egyptian Millennial Entrepreneur Builds Sustainable Housing In The Desert
In 2016, the Egyptian housing ministry estimated that a staggering 500,000 new homes need to be built every year for five years to keep pace with the population growth. Despite these efforts, many Egyptians cannot afford these homes. As a result, they live outside urban city centers in informal settlements with poor access to adequate housing, education or healthcare services.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship
- Region
- North Africa & Near East
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African tax authorities consider how to boost revenue
The report argues that if tax revenue grows faster than the economy, African nations will have greater funds at their disposal for public investments in areas such as education and health care.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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‘Internet Access is Like Oxygen’: Converging Connectivity and Energy Access
Microsoft’s Affordable Access Initiative is providing grants to internet access and related services companies and startups reaching underserved communities in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and North America. In June, the tech giant announced the second year of grantees. Paul Garnett, senior director of the Affordable Access Initiative at Microsoft, explores how internet connectivity can have a ripple effect.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Energy, Technology
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Leapfrogging is overrated, says a Harvard development professor
Juma points out that no advanced economy got where it is today by cutting corners and sidestepping (that is, leapfrogging) industrialization.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Microfinance for Water and Sanitation: Opportunities and Challenges for MFIs
Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) presents an opportunity for MFIs to meaningfully impact their customers’ lives and aid in their struggle against poverty. However, a variety of issues play a role in determining the suitability of a WASH finance product. To help MFIs navigate through these, MicroSave and Water.Org have developed a series of toolkits.
- Categories
- Health Care
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Follow the Money: The IT Hurdles of Microlending
When the crowdfunding non-profit Kiva.org launched a pilot in 2014 to streamline their transactions in Kenya, they met local shop owners like Esther, who was running a stall called “Facebook Cereals.” Kenya had suffered political unrest in recent years, and Esther had to restart her business in the Toi Market of Nairobi twice. But she kept her smile.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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