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Trust, Not Peer Pressure: Adapting the Global Microfinance Model for the U.S.
After years of working with global MFIs at Whole Foods’ Whole Planet Foundation, Steve Wanta saw that the group lending model that helped microentrepreneurs abroad could also work for Hispanic female entrepreneurs in Texas. But he also realized that the traditional microfinance model could function better with a few twists. In this Q&A with NextBillion, Wanta discusses the lessons he's learned leading the nonprofit JUST, which is adapting the microfinance model for the U.S. market.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
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Chinese e-commerce giant to begin services in Pakistan this year
At the moment, Ant Financial is undergoing an approval process from the State Bank of Pakistan and the Competition Commission of Pakistan.
- Categories
- Finance, Telecommunications
- Region
- South Asia
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Banking on the Unbanked: Assessing True ‘Creditworthiness’
The combination of advanced fintech with off-grid solar solutions has been a winning combo for Colibrí, a social enterprise devoted to promoting energy access in rural Nicaragua. Its Fácil-Pago technology, powered by Angaza Design, has succeeded partly thanks to the business' approach to an often-difficult financial task: responsibly assessing the credit-worthiness of unbanked customers. Morgan Babbs, Colibrí founder and CEO, explains why the approach to calculating credit-worthiness has resulted in exceeding low default rates among other advantages.
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Press release: Visa and Branch form micro-credit partnership
The loans will provide merchants with funds to grow their business through supplemental stock, infrastructure investment, and other key operational needs. Loans will be disbursed directly to the merchants’ phones.
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- Finance
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Press release: MicroVest Announces Investment in Pakistan’s Kashf Foundation
The investment furthers MicroVest’s commitment to make financial inclusion a reality in
emerging economies through impact investing.- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- South Asia
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A Shifting Frontier: How Mobile Money is Reshaping the Gender Gap in Financial Inclusion
Mobile banking can undoubtedly be a useful tool when it comes to closing the financial services gender gap – with the key word being "can." But as the results of the Global Findex report show, fintech is no panacea for addressing longstanding disparities in financial access, and the gap between men and women remains great. Scott Graham of FINCA International explores the potential – and limitations – of digital finance to boost women’s inclusion and empowerment.
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- Finance
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Press release: ‘Easypaisa Loan’, Pakistan’s First Digital Nano Loan Launched By Telenor Microfinance Bank
This innovative service is aimed at the common man who has no access to formal loans or banking services. It enables easy access to working capital requirements for farmers, self-employed individuals, street hawkers, and home-based workers. It also works as an effective tool in creating financial literacy by incentivizing positive credit behavior through access to better borrowing terms.
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- Finance
- Region
- South Asia
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Development Bank of Nigeria to provide low interest loans to 10,000 MSMEs
A statement from the DBN said the loan is part of measures aimed at addressing the financing challenges facing MSMEs in Nigeria.
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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