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Microfinance for Better Housing: How the Sector Can Serve Low-Income Borrowers in India and Other Emerging Markets
In most emerging countries, populations are growing and the numbers moving into cities are rising even faster. Providing housing for these often low-income individuals has become a huge global challenge. But as development sector researcher Moin Qazi points out, these borrowers' lack of credit history, collateral and property rights makes it difficult for both traditional commercial lenders and microfinance providers to serve them. He explores the challenges facing housing microfinance in India and other emerging markets, and highlights some solutions.
- Categories
- Finance
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Analysis: Private Asset Impact Funds Show Resilience in the Face Of The COVID-19 Pandemic, Forecast Double-digit Growth In 2021
With a record sample size of 175 impact funds, the 2021 edition of Tameo’s flagship research report brings refreshing transparency and a holistic understanding of key trends and benchmarks inherent to impact investing strategies through funds.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Investing
- Region
- Global
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The Next Financial Inclusion Revolution: The Transformative Potential of Scaling Small Group Savings in the World’s Poorest Communities
Despite $52 billion invested in financial inclusion in 2019 alone, nearly 2 billion people – many of them among the world’s poorest – still lack access to formal finance. As Jeffrey Ashe at Grassroots Finance Action points out, these communities often turn to informal savings and credit groups to meet their financial needs – but there are many who are too poor and marginalized to be invited to be part of these groups. He explores a proposal that aims to expand access to informal savings groups to reach these financially excluded individuals around the world.
- Categories
- Finance
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European Investment Bank Publishes Unique Analysis of Impact of COVID-19 on Financing Across Africa
The new report explores how access to finance provided by banks, microfinance and private equity sectors have been affected and what long-term trends may impact private sector investment.
- Categories
- Coronavirus
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Second COVID Wave Batters Microfinance, Lenders Positive on Outlook in India
The gross loan portfolio of microfinance companies in India fell in the first quarter of FY22 as demand for credit dropped due to restrictions imposed during the second COVID-19 wave.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Kinara Capital Secures $9.3 Million From Invest in Visions GmbH
Classified as an ESG Impact Fund by the European Union, Kinara Capital will further IIV’s microfinance fund mandate of enabling credit access to small businesses.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Asia Pacific
- Tags
- ESG, impact investing, microfinance
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Shifting from Financial Inclusion to Financial Health: Strategic Focus Areas for Providers and Other Stakeholders
In the past decade, 1.2 billion people around the world have obtained a financial account. But according to Nishant Kumar and Sonal Agrawal at Lakshya, this growing financial inclusion isn't leading to similar gains in financial health – and addressing this challenge will require stakeholders to boost engagement on the demand side rather than just maximizing supply-side efficiency. They propose three key strategic focus areas for improving global financial health, and explore how they differ from the approaches taken to boost financial inclusion.
- Categories
- Finance
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The Pandemic is Not Over for Social Enterprises: Here’s How Impact Investors and Other Funders Can Help Them Survive COVID-19
Social enterprises are developing innovative, sustainable and scalable solutions to the world's deepest economic and social issues, but many of these businesses are at risk of disappearing due to COVID-19. According to Alethia Kang at Acceso and Luke Seidle at Kiva, impact investors and other funders must step up to keep the social enterprise field afloat. They share five steps funders can take to bolster these businesses, and discuss how the partnership between their two organizations illustrates the value of flexible funding support during a crisis.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Coronavirus, Impact Assessment, Investing, Social Enterprise