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The Problem of Mandatory Formalization in Financial Inclusion
An opened bank account in and of itself means very little, and a sitting balance in a bank account is literally a waste of money. What does have meaning is what accumulated savings let a consumer buy or borrow at a lower cost at the right time, without having to beg, borrow (at high cost) or steal. And when that asset grows in a meaningful way, then we have something to write home about: development and wealth accumulation in action.
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- Uncategorized
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Digital Tools for Impact and Scale to Reduce Extreme Poverty
Ana Pantelic writes that Fundación Capital is using tablet-based applications and e-learning platforms to change the way that families living in extreme poverty – and the program mentors who work with them – access information and build local capacity. By integrating digital solutions into its work, the organization has improved and standardized the quality of training, and as a result, scaled national responses to eliminating poverty.
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- Education, Technology
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Weekly Roundup: Social Impact Sector Reacts to Trump With Fear, Uncertainty … Room for Hope?
It may be hard to believe – and even harder for some to accept – but Donald Trump is now the most powerful man in the world. And like many, the social business and global development world was, shall we say, taken aback by his victory this week. As the new reality sinks in and leaders and commentators try to make sense of his election, we’ve compiled a few of their more memorable reactions.
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- Social Enterprise
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You Asked, We Answer: Can Microloans Lift Women Out Of Poverty?
You've probably heard the stories. A desperately poor woman in a poor country gets a tiny loan — a couple hundred dollars. It's the break she's always needed. With that money she can finally buy the materials to start a small business. She turns a profit. Her income rises. Now she has money to expand her business even further, buy her kids more nutritious food, pay their school fees. Over time, she lifts her whole family out of poverty.
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- Impact Assessment
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Peer Mentorships Helping Colombia Write Its Next Chapter
Peer learning provides mutually beneficial relationships that advance the knowledge and well-being of all participants. In the second post in our series on the Graduation model of alleviating poverty, Fundación Capital explores the power of local peer mentors in supporting the income-generation projects of individuals affected by the violence in Colombia.
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- Education
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New Report: Small Merchants Offer Big Financial Inclusion Opportunities
Increasing micro and small merchants’ use of cashless payment systems will require broad participation and innovation from the financial sector, regulators, governments and the private sector. But the impact will be transformative for millions of small merchants, their customers and the broader economies in which they operate.
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- Uncategorized
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Weekly Roundup: Pondering Vice President Bill Gates (Thanks, WikiLeaks), How Buyers Lag Sellers, and FICO Going Big – Real Big
Can you imagine Vice President Bill Gates? We can. That's only part of our Weekly Roundup, which also includes peeks at consumer purchases – or lack therof – from social enterprises; an effort to increase access to credit for over 3 billion people around the globe; and a program that had money, recognition and everything it needed to succeed – except customers.
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- Social Enterprise
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Chemonics and BanQu Partner to Test Blockchain’s Potential to Eliminate Poverty and Improve Aid Effectiveness
On October 17, 2016, international development consulting firm Chemonics and technology company BanQu established the Blockchain for Development Solutions Lab. The lab represents the first concerted effort by a development company to build, test, and scale blockchain solutions to reduce poverty and increase aid effectiveness.
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- Technology
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