-
Press Release: Trade and Development Bank Group Extends USD $100 Million Financing to the Export Trading Group to Support Smallholder Farmers in Africa
In a region where the majority of employment is in agriculture, 285,000 smallholders are expected to benefit from value chain integration.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
Taking a Virtual Trip to the Last Mile: How an Innovative Program is Harnessing Virtual Reality to Advance Progress Toward the SDGs
Boosted by growing internet access and fueled by the pandemic, the virtual reality (VR) market has become the fastest-growing media segment, projected to reach US $185 billion by 2026. According to Julia Winterflood at Kopernik, the immersive nature of VR makes it uniquely suited to raising awareness of social challenges, and the technology is finding applications in the global development sector. She explores how Kopernik is leveraging virtual reality videos to document challenges faced by underserved communities and accelerate progress toward the SDGs.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise, Technology, Telecommunications
-
Creating New Pathways in Retail to Support Persons with Disabilities in India
In many countries, the retail, hospitality and services sector is a great source of employment for people with disabilities. Yet in India, which has one of the largest retail sectors globally, current working conditions within this industry are often unwelcoming for disabled people. B.S. Nagesh at Trust for Retailers and Retail Associates of India (TRRAIN), Celia Sanchez-Valladares Barahona at Ashoka Nordics, and Kristina Humphreys explore how TRRAIN is working to create employment opportunities for people with disabilities in India’s retail sector at an industry-wide scale.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
- Tags
- employment, scale, skill development
-
upGrad Closes Investment Round of USD $210 Million
upGrad, Asia's higher edtech major, has announced a fresh round of fundraise from marquee investors and Family Offices who join the company cap-table.
- Categories
- Education, Technology
- Region
- Global
- Tags
- edtech, skill development
-
The Overlooked Needs of India’s SMEs: Why Knowledge, Emotional and Relationship Capital are Key to their Pandemic Recovery and Long-Term Competitiveness
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in India – and around the world – have been harshly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Samir Sathe at Wadhwani Advantage, these enterprises will need new sources of competitive advantage – including knowledge, emotional and relationship capital – if they hope to recover and grow. He explains why these alternative forms of capital are essential to running a small business, and explores how current learning and development efforts are falling short in meeting SMEs' unique needs.
- Categories
- Coronavirus
-
Google.org Announces $1.3 Million in Grants To Equip Persons With Disabilities, Women and Refugees With Digital Skills in the Middle East and North Africa
Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, announced grants totaling USD 1.3 million for three non-profit organizations in the Middle East and North Africa to help equip entrepreneurs and job seekers with digital skills over the next two years.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Global
-
Analysis: What We Need To Do to Really Empower and Enable Women in India
Institutions working for women empowerment need to look beyond the simple measures, and into gaps of skilling, financing, and a social safety net for women in rural and semi-urban areas
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Asia Pacific
-
Under-Skilled and Outdated: Why India Could Lose Out on Nearly $1 Trillion in GDP if it Fails to Upskill its SMEs
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for around $700 billion – roughly 27% – of India’s $2.6 trillion gross domestic product. But impressive as those numbers sound, Samir Sathe at Wadhwani Foundation points out that they're nowhere near the 40% of GDP that policymakers hope SMEs will generate in the coming years. He explains why India could lose out on around $0.75 trillion in SME contributions to GDP by 2027 if it fails to prioritize and fund skill development efforts, and discusses what the public and private sectors can do to train entrepreneurs more effectively.
- Categories
- Education