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Economists Demonstrate One Size Does Not Fit All for Microfinance Programs
New Study Reveals Wide Variance in Results from Thai Million Baht Village FundLarge-scale microfinance programs are widely used as a tool to fight poverty in developing countries, but a recent study from the Consortium on Financial Systems and Poverty suggests that they can have varying results for participants and may be the most cost-effective use of funds only in limited situations.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Symbiosis Project to Help Light Up Village Homes
PUNE: Students from the Social Entrepreneurship and Consulting Cell of Symbiosis Institute of Business Management ( SIBM) have come up with a project to provide low-cost lighting units to rural households without electricity.
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- Energy, Impact Assessment
- Region
- South Asia
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NexThought Monday: FXB, Intervening Holistically for Economic Empowerment
Sean Mayberry, the CEO of the donor-funded FXB, says: "Ultimately, to lift families out of poverty permanently they need the long term ability to create their own revenue streams." FXB’s approach involves three-year programs to support families immediate needs first, and help them long-term achieve economic independence.
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- Health Care
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Organic Farming Promises to Yield a Sustainable Future for India’s Rural Poor
Organic agricultural practices are improving prospects for India's farmers by providing greater profit and sustainability
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- Agriculture
- Region
- South Asia
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SC Johnson and Cornell Kick Off New Business with a WOW!
Cornell University's Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise and SC Johnson today announced the launch of a new product concept developed in partnership that hopes to generate a "WOW" from rural consumers in developing markets. Recently unveiled in the village of Bobikuma, Ghana, WOW™ is a membership-based club whose products and services help low-income homemakers care for their homes and families.
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NexThought Monday: Combining Commercial Opportunity With Environmental Sustainability
The greatest potential for productivity gains lies in the millions of small-scale farms in Africa, Latin America and Asia. But as the pressure grows to produce more food, unsustainable practices like slash-and-burn agriculture and excessive tilling of cropland threaten ecosystems and contribute to climate change.
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- Agriculture
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Solar-Powered Micro Grids Change Lives of Indian Villagers
In Uttar Pradesh, one of India's poorest states, a pair of US-born entrepreneurs is creating a new model for energy delivery to villages far from the grid. The founders of Mera Gao Power build and operate solar-powered micro grids to provide low-cost lighting and mobile phone charging to village houses, giving many rural people access to both light and power for the first time in their lives.
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- Energy
- Region
- South Asia
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On World Day of Social Justice, the Role For Business
Jake Walter is the country director of TechnoServe/Mozambique. Since 1998, he has led TechnoServe’s efforts to create a competitive and sustainable commercial agricultural sector that promotes opportunities for small-scale producers and creates jobs for the rural poor. Prior to joining TechnoServe, Jake was a vice president for ABS Global, a bovine genetics and technology company.On the World Day of Social Justice, Jake discusses how TechnoServe’s work in Mozambique contributes to a stronger society, and how business can be a means to promote social justice.
- Categories
- Agriculture
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