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Changing the Gatekeepers: Why Female Fund Managers Are the Key to Unlocking More Inclusive Capital
Greater access to capital could boost the financial empowerment of women entrepreneurs. Yet as Melanie de Nysschen at SAVCA and Yeabsira Zewdie at MiDA Advisors point out, women comprise just 11% of senior investment professionals in emerging markets – the people who serve as gatekeepers to capital. Since women investors are significantly more likely to support female entrepreneurs, they explore the impact of increasing women's presence among investment professionals, and share insights from interviews with female fund managers in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana that highlight their biggest challenges.
- Categories
- Investing
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Debunking Myths on the Impact and Income of Women Sales Forces: New Data Reveals Ways to Maximize Their Potential
The use of female sales agents to sell health-related products is sometimes seen as a panacea that can boost both healthcare access and women’s income empowerment. But little research has been done to prove or disprove these beliefs. Lucie Klarsfeld McGrath and Louise Berthault at Hystra discuss a new report analyzing data from 21 organizations that rely principally on women direct sales forces to sell health-related products. Their analysis sheds light on the role and impact that women sales forces can have, and suggests ways to maximize their impact.
- Categories
- Health Care
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IFC and We-Fi Help Tackle Gender Financing Gap Through IFC ScaleX
To help tackle the financing gap that women entrepreneurs still face, particularly in emerging markets, IFC and the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) launched today a new call for applications for IFC ScaleX.
- Region
- Global
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Financing to Boost Renewables, Energy Access and Efficiency in Côte D’Ivoire
EDFI ElectriFI has backed microfinance institution Fin’ELLE with a €1.5 million ($1.69 million) investment to boost renewable energy, energy access and energy efficiency in Côte d’Ivoire.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Scotiabank launches $3 Billion Loan Fund for Women Entrepreneurs
Scotiabank Jamaica has set aside $3 billion as loan financing for women entrepreneurs in a refreshed plan to address what the bank says is the under-representation of women in the business world.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- North Africa & Near East
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European Investment Bank Lends Ecobank Group $113 Million for SMEs in Africa, With Emphases on Women, Adjusting to COVID-19
The purpose is to help develop the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector, with a particular emphasis on the businesses that have been “most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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African Development Bank Pays $24 Million to Increase Investment in West African Development Bank
The AfDB also approved a line of credit to support businesses in the West African Economic and Monetary Union, particularly in job-creating sectors.
- Categories
- Agriculture
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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EIB-Supported Gender Lens Investment Fund Alitheia IDF Announces Final Close at $100 Million
Largest gender-inclusive private equity fund in Africa; 2X Flagship fund applying the 2X Challenge criteria; Boosting diversity across Africa.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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