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Column: E-nabling financial inclusion
The imperative for financial inclusion is both a moral one as well as one based on economic efficiency. Should we not give everyone that is capable the tools and resources to better themselves, and in doing so, better the country?
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Absolving the ‘Original Sin’ of Microfinance
Micro-lenders have traditionally been vulnerable to unstable local currencies, but new groups are helping them hedge
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Kiva Responds: The famed microlender replies to Hugh Sinclair’s scathing critique
On Monday, NextBillion Financial Innovation published a post by Hugh Sinclair, a prominent critic of microcredit, in which he leveled some sharp criticisms of Kiva, its microlending model and business practices. Today, Kiva’s co-founder/CEO and president give their side of the story.
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Can Mobile Money Really Transform the Lives of the Poor?: BRAC will discuss its potential at the 2nd Frugal Innovation Forum on March 28-30
By the end of 2014, there will be more mobile phones than people in the world. This opens up a significant opportunity for new strategies to help people move out of poverty. But how big can the impact be, and what obstacles stand in the way? These and other topics will be under discussion at BRAC’s 2nd Frugal Innovation Forum on March 28-30, 2014.
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Safaricom Deal to Allow Diaspora to Send Money to M-Pesa Accounts
According to the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), last year’s diaspora remittances reached US$1.3 billion (KSh112 billion), up from US$1.17 billion (KSh101 billion) in 2012.
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- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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West Africa: Breaking the Cycle of Youth Unemployment, Poverty
Youth unemployment and underemployment are among the main barriers to development in West Africa, say experts. Not only does the exclusion of young people from the labour force perpetuate generational cycles of poverty, it also breaks down social cohesion and can be associated with higher levels of crime and violence among idle youth.
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- Environment
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Don’t charge to enlarge: the effect of interest rate changes on microfinance access
A STORY in the finance section this week looks at what has happened to microfinance interest rates. To summarise briefly: we argue that as microfinance for the very poorest borrowers has expanded, microfinance institutions (MFIs) have had to raise their rates. As MFIs target poorer, less reliable customers, they need to charge higher rates to cover increased defaults and steeper funding costs.
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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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