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Tara Thiagarajan Wants the Poor to Get More Out of Their Micro Borrowings
Tara Thiagarajan believes that microfinance institutions (MFIs) have been pursuing the wrong goal. Instead of scale, they should be looking to make loans more effective. That means borrowers should get more out of their borrowings. Along with credit, they should also get the tools and the benefits of a large network to make the most of the credit.
- Categories
- Education
- Region
- South Asia
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In Egypt, Nebny’s Blueprint for Job Skills, Community Hope
In post-revolution Egypt, one group of young Egyptians, decided to rebuild Egypt through a different sort of NGO. Their vision was to create a youth-centered community development foundation the dual goals of building a sustainable economy, while simultaneously cultivate a sense of national identity and belonging: The Nebny Foundation.
- Categories
- Education
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Bridging the ‘Financial Capability Gap’ to Financial Inclusion
Between 500 million and 800 million of the world’s poor have gained access to finance in recent years. But 25 percent or less of these individuals have received any form of financial training to help them make informed decisions about entire financial future. This represents the ‘financial capability gap." It’s the reason why today we are releasing Bridging the Gap: The Business Case for Financial Capability.
- Categories
- Education
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Anudip Foundation to Raise Up to Rs 3.21Cr from Omidyar Network
This is Omidyar’s third funding deal in India in as many months after backing Teach For India and Aspiring Minds.
- Categories
- Education
- Region
- South Asia
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Social Enterprising: DR Congo’s Untapped Resource?
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the world of Social Entrepreneurship may seem strange bedfellows. One is constantly in the media for its good, the other for bad. One demonstrates economic empowerment, the other an absence thereof. But that’s not what I found on a recent trip there.
- Categories
- Education
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NexThought Monday: Imaginary Engineers
The dabbawallahs, or "box people," deliver about 200,000 home cooked meals daily to about 80,000 offices at lunch time and have achieved six sigma status. This low-tech operation shows systems improvement is not just about applying the newest technology or management principle to an organization.
- Categories
- Education, Technology
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Social Innovators Seek to Balance Economic Sustainability and Impact
Bridging the digital-divide in India has long been a cherished dream. While much is yet to happen, IT industry body Nasscom has taken initial steps to identify business models that can change the access of technology at the bottom of the pyramid.This year too, Nasscom presented awards to six businesses that are trying to bring social innovation. The awards showcase the impact and learnings from the ideas of winners that have gained shape, acceptance and success.
- Categories
- Education, Health Care, Impact Assessment
- Region
- South Asia
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Truly Local Power: African Wind Turbines Built From Scrap
Wind power isn’t used much in the developing world, since a turbine is much more expensive than a solar panel. But Access:energy is flipping that equation by finding ways to build the turbines in the communities where they’re needed.
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
