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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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Weekly Roundup: $5 Beats Free, SunFunder Rises, and Asia’s Investors Love Impact
Why it's not crazy for a global health organization to refuse free vaccines, where the world's most socially conscious investors live, which major funder might be planning to alter some old investment restrictions, and what's needed to support the Sustainable Development Goals. That and more; it's all here in our Weekly Roundup.
- Categories
- Health Care, NextBillion Originals
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Report: $90 Trillion Infrastructure Investment Could Combat Climate Change
The world will need to more than double its current infrastructure stock over the next 15 years – a massive undertaking which could either contribute to or combat catastrophic climate change – according to a new report.
- Categories
- Investing
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Health Financing Through PPP Gets Nod of Experts
With Africa needing over US$30 billion to close the infrastructure deficit and in the light of dwindling Government expenditure on Healthcare, experts say it has become imperative that the private sector gets involved in closing these gaps.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Uber Kenya and Sidian Bank Launch $100M Vehicle Solutions Programme
Uber and Sidian Bank announced today that they have partnered to launch an innovative Uber Vehicle Solutions Programme that will give driver-partners and business investors convenient and affordable access to the quality vehicles they need to start or grow their Uber-based businesses. This comes shortly after Uber celebrated 1 million rides taken in Kenya since its launch just 15 months ago.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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