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Beyond Microcredit: Why Tackling Poverty Requires More Than a Loan
It's clear that microcredit is not enough to end poverty, say Gary Carrier and Harrison Pharamond of MCE Social Capital. But this does not stop MCE from investing in microfinance institutions. Instead, they maximize the impact of these investments by supporting MFIs in offering “credit-plus services” - additional services that address poverty holistically.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing, Social Enterprise
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Giving Capitalism a Social Conscience
Yunus has recently written a new book, “A World of Three Zeros: The New Economics of Zero Poverty, Zero Unemployment, and Zero Net Carbon Emissions,” in which he argues that capitalism is in crisis and remains moored in a flawed conception of human motivation. He proposes a far more robust role in the economy for “social businesses,” which he defines as “non-dividend” companies “dedicated to solving human problems.”
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- Uncategorized
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Glasses for the Masses: Because It’s Easier to Navigate a Path out of Poverty When You Can See
On this World Sight Day, VisionSpring President Ella R. Gudwin writes that though eyeglasses are a cost-effective poverty reduction tool, 2.5 billion people do not have the eyeglasses they need to earn and learn. Gudwin announces a new partnership with Target and Williams-Sonoma Inc. that aims to improve workers' vision on a grand scale to bridge the visual divide.
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- Health Care, Social Enterprise
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Three Key Insights from GIIN Report on the Power of Capacity Building in Impact Investing
Capacity-building support, also known as technical assistance, is a vital tool used by many investors to complement their investments and expand and deepen their impact. When applied well, capacity building improves investor competitiveness, enhances business performance of investees, expands impact for beneficiaries and strengthens markets, writes Abhilash Mudaliar of GIIN.
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- Impact Assessment, Investing
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Meet 12 Youth-Led Social Businesses Inspired By Muhammad Yunus
From communities of women developers springing up across Africa to jointly revolutionize science and technology, to a Brazilian social business educating their countrymen of ‘effective altruism’ through scientific evaluation of charities, to Indonesian youths redefining conventional cafes by employing and engaging the deaf with the wider community, we are entering a new era of a capitalistic society led by the rise of youth social entrepreneurship.
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- Uncategorized
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Report: The State of Food and Agriculture 2017 – Leveraging food systems for inclusive rural transformation
Rural areas, too long seen as poverty traps, key to economic growth in developing countries. But sweeping transformations needed to unlock their potential to help feed and employ a younger, more crowded planet, says a new report.
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- Agriculture
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The Protein Bottleneck: Are Insects the Solution to the High Cost of Livestock Feeds?
In 2012, 16.3 million tonnes of fish produced were used to make fish oil and fishmeal feed for animals. This threatens food security and is unsustainable. One solution to that problem, making the feed from Black Soldier Fly larvae, also has the potential to create thousands of jobs and a new agribusiness sector in Kenya, writes James Karuga.
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- Agriculture, Environment, Social Enterprise
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European Microfinance Week 2017: Revealing New Frontiers in Inclusive Finance – Nov. 29-Dec. 1
European Microfinance Week (EMW), Nov. 29-Dec. 1, 2017, and hosted by e-MFP, is one of the top events in the microfinance calendar and a unique meeting point for all professionals working in the inclusive finance sector worldwide. With an unparalleled program and prestigious speakers, the event is widely recognised for its high-quality sessions and excellent networking opportunities. Last year's event attracted close to 500 participants from 58 countries.
- Categories
- Finance, Social Enterprise
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