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It’s Bigger than Silicon Valley – But is it Right for You?: Assessing a Move to Impact Investing
It may surprise you to learn that social enterprises now account for 3 to 5 percent of the U.S. GDP – twice as much as Silicon Valley. That's why the rapidly growing impact investing market represents a significant opportunity for forward-thinking investors. But according to Chintan Panchal of investment firm RPCK, new investors must navigate a complex web of unfamiliar metrics, regulations and strategies. To that end, he offers five questions and themes to consider before closing any impact investment deal.
- Categories
- Investing
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Concern Worldwide, Trickle Up and MetLife Foundation to support ultra poor women in Bangladesh
The program aims to support 600 families through an adapted graduation approach and increase access and usage of financial services for 12,400 women.
- Region
- South Asia
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Bandhan-Konnagar expected to get Rs900 crore from World Bank, 3 states
The World Bank, governments of Rajasthan, Bihar and Jharkhand to fund Bandhan-Konnagar’s programme for poverty alleviation to benefit at least 300,000 families.
- Region
- South Asia
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Bending the Arc of Humanity – Effective Development of Exponential Technologies to Serve Mankind
Exponential technologies such as big data, the internet of things and artificial intelligence can transform lives in poor countries. But Akhtar Badshah – who led Microsoft’s philanthropic efforts for 10 years – highlights some risks alongside that potential. The main question, he says, is how to bridge the gap between those who quickly benefit from these technologies, and those who are left behind.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise, Technology
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No One Should be ‘Scared to Live too Long’ – Innovating Insurance for the Elderly
After a chilling conversation with his family housekeeper about her fear of "living too long" and becoming a burden on her family, Tyron Fouche was inspired to start Nobuntu, an insurance plan for low-income South Africans. Combining an ancient risk-sharing design with modern tools like chatbots and biometric tech, the plan offers customers an income that actually increases as they get older. Fouche discusses Nobuntu's innovative model – and the big challenges it faces – in the latest post in NextBillion’s "Startup Showcase" series.
- Categories
- Finance, Social Enterprise
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Faster, Lighter Touch and Group-based: A Different Approach to Poverty Graduation
The poverty graduation model has continued to show great promise in helping ultra-poor people develop sustainable livelihoods. But Dianne Calvi of Village Enterprise points out that those programs, as currently practiced, are often too expensive to scale. In advocating a more streamlined approach to poverty graduation, Calvi reveals key findings from a randomized control trial involving some of the poorest households across 138 villages in rural Uganda.
- Categories
- Investing
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Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund and International Trade Centre ink Memorandum of Understanding for mutual cooperation
Rob Skidmore, Chief, Sector and Enterprise Competitiveness Division of Enterprises and Institutions, ITC, said, “ITC is delighted to combine our knowledge of SME competitiveness and value chains with PPAF’s deep expertise in grass roots development SME competitiveness and improving value chains and PPAF’s deep expertise in grass roots development to make a real difference in the lives of the poor.”
- Region
- South Asia
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Press release: Building the Business Case for Housing Microfinance in Sub-Saharan Africa
A new study from Habitat for Humanity (www.Habitat.org) says that housing microfinance can and should become a mainstream offering for financial institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa as they respond to growing housing needs in the region, particularly from poor people.
- Source
- Press release
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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