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Is Africa ‘Rising’ or ‘Falling’? : The question is not which narrative is true, but which will win?
Is Africa rising or falling? Over the last 50 years, the answer to this question has been debated and examined from every angle. Reports such as Legatum’s Insight on Africa and conferences such as the Sankalp Africa Summit attempt to provide the data, context, and insight required to understand both the challenges and opportunities facing the world’s most dynamic continent.
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- Education
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Banking for All – Drive to ensure world’s poor have access to accounts
For banks, there is the chance to harvest the deposits of millions of new customers and establish a presence in small but fast-growing markets.
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- Uncategorized
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Breaking Down Development Myths: Metrics and data demolishing poverty misconceptions
As you might have seen, Bill and Melinda Gates recently released the 2014 edition of their annual Letter. This year, the theme of the correspondence was ‘Mythbusters’ – tackling the misconceptions and beliefs about development in the most powerful way possible: with data and real evidence.
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- Uncategorized
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Weekly Roundup 2/1/14: Us and Them: Poverty goes mainstream in the U.S. – can financial innovation help?
The majority of Americans will spend at least a year in or near poverty between the ages of 25 and 60. And four out of five will encounter one or more poverty-related conditions in their lifetime. It’s clear that poverty isn’t just a major problem in the developing world. That’s why NextBillion is expanding our coverage to forward-thinking business solutions to domestic poverty.
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- Impact Assessment
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Poor service: Tiny loans are getting more expensive
INTEREST on the minuscule loans made by microfinance outfits has always been high, but over the past few years it has become even higher. A recent paper, using data on over 1,500 microfinance institutions (MFIs) from around the world, shows that for the smallest loans, typically less than $150, the average rate climbed steadily from 30% in 2004 to 35% in 2011.*
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- Uncategorized
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More than a Buzzword: How crowdfunding can expand opportunities for low-income entrepreneurs
Long seen as a vehicle for funding artistic ventures, crowdfunding is evolving into a potentially powerful resource for low-income people and the organizations that serve them. With loosening regulations in the U.S., startups may soon be able to fund their businesses through large pools of small investors, which could be a boon for low-income individuals striving to achieve financial stability through entrepreneurship.
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- Impact Assessment
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‘Micro-insurance Impacts Significantly on Social Indices’
The Micro-insurance Network, the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO’s) micro-insurance innovation facility, has said that micro-insurance has impacted positively on the standard of living of low income earners across the world.
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- Education, Impact Assessment
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Financial Sector Can Help Bolster Africa’s Economy, Panelists Say
One of the stated aims of this year’s World Economic Forum is inclusion. A panel discussion on Africa’s future, one that included two sitting presidents from that continent, did its best to emphasize that theme.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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