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In Uganda, a unique urban experiment is under way
A great experiment is under way in Uganda. An industrial skyline of water and cell towers hovers over sturdy mud huts and small farm plots. Schools and health centers are built from brick, slathered in concrete, and fitted with glass windows. Taps run freshwater, and small solar panels power streetlights, as well as radios blasting music from barbershops, televisions airing soccer matches in community halls, and cell phones snaking from charging stations in shops.
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- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Press release: Forbes To Launch Inaugural Opportunity Zones Summit: Investing For Impact
"The Opportunity Zones initiative is the most ambitious federal attempt to expand economic opportunity in low-income areas in a generation, one that could drive billions of dollars into new private investments in struggling communities over the coming decade,” said John Lettieri, Co-Founder, President and CEO, Economic Innovation Group.
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- Investing
- Region
- North America
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The Development Challenge You’re Overlooking: Seven Things You Need to Know About Land Rights
Approximately 72 percent of the world’s population – more than 4 billion people – live on property for which they do not hold formal rights. This presents obstacles to social cohesion, financial inclusion and economic growth – in fact, in many countries, landlessness is the best predictor of poverty. Yet the problem remains under-recognized in many global development discussions. Tim Rann, a partner at Mercy Corps’ Social Ventures team, lays out seven things you should know about the issue.
- Categories
- Environment
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Viewpoint: The Problem With Opportunity Zones
The framework, funded in part by the Kresge Foundation, is an important first set of principles to guide this rapidly emerging market. But those principles are only as useful as their adoption.
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- Investing
- Region
- North America
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Press release: Innovation Works and Miller Center form partnership to create 250 social enterprises, 5,000 jobs in Baltimore
IW was formed to support Baltimore’s entrepreneurship development as a path to creating sustainable jobs, increasing average household incomes, and building neighborhood economies in underinvested communities. Miller Center, as the largest and most effective university-based social enterprise accelerator in the world, brings best practices and experience to the initiative.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- North America
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Wall Street, Seeking Big Tax Breaks, Sets Sights on Distressed Main Streets
Hedge funds, investment banks and money managers are trying to raise tens of billions of dollars this year for so-called opportunity funds, a creation of President Trump’s 2017 tax package meant to steer money to poor areas by offering potentially large tax breaks.
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- Investing
- Region
- North America
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Igniting Growth in the DRC: How Renewable Energy Can Power Urban Development
Off-grid solar systems have been a key to bringing energy access to the rural poor across East Africa. Yet in the Democratic Republic of Congo, just 9 percent of the population have access to electricity. Flavia Howard, a strategy consultant for social entrepreneurs, argues that in spite of the disruption caused by disease and war, her research shows that the country presents a compelling market for distributed energy solutions.
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- Energy
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Enabling the Business of Recycling: How Innovative Public-Private Partnerships Help to Build Sustainable Cities
Conversations around environmental sustainability often reduce the issue to a false dichotomy: better policies vs. better business practices. But in fact, leveraging both the government and business sectors can provide unique benefits, say Jorge Noguera at Mastercard and Caleb Shreve at Global Fairness Initiative. They explore the impact of an innovative public-private partnership linking city governments in Peru with a network of waste-pickers to deliver recycling services to households and businesses.
- Categories
- Environment, Social Enterprise
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