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Comparing Four Last-Mile Distribution Models: Best Practices and Common Pitfalls in Reaching Rural Customers
Last-mile distributors have found innovative ways to affordably reach consumers living in underserved and/or hard-to-reach areas. As Lucie Klarsfeld McGrath, Jeanne Charbit and Joana Furquim at Hystra explain, these companies use many different last-mile distribution models, tailored to different goods and locations. They discuss the revenue and impact potential of four common models, assessing when they are most relevant, exploring their limitations and optimal conditions for success, and highlighting the key challenges and questions they face moving forward.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
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New Fund Sabou Capital to Invest up to $1.5 Million in 25 African SMEs
The fund expects a modest 2-3x return on investment—closer to the 3- 5x range typical of private equity—compared to the high-risk 10x expectations of venture capital.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Technology, Transportation
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Fueling Change: The Multiple Impacts of Increasing Liquefied Petroleum Gas Usage in Rural India
To address the negative impacts of cooking with biomass fuel, the Indian government launched a program in 2018 that offers free access to a clean gas cookstove and a refillable cylinder of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). But as Shobhit Mishra and Vaishaly Shrimall at MSC explain, the program faced logistical challenges that limited uptake among rural households. They explore the barriers that hinder the adoption of gas cooking in rural India, and discuss the impact of an MSC program that leverages self-help groups to boost LPG uptake while creating entrepreneurship opportunities for local women.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Finance
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Women in Business Held Back by Mobile Data’s Cost in Developing World – Report
Nearly half of female entrepreneurs surveyed by Cherie Blair Foundation for Women do not have regular internet access.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Global
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Don’t Underestimate Gen Z: How Youth-Led Solutions are Shaping the Future of Social Entrepreneurship
Generation Z is often labeled as distracted, anxious, lonely or under-skilled. But as George Tsiatis at the Resolution Project and Enactus Global argues, these stereotypes are unfair, and members of Gen Z often possess a unique perspective and determination that enable them to tackle complex social challenges with unprecedented ingenuity and purpose. He shares four areas where young social entrepreneurs are driving innovation and achieving measurable impact, highlighting several youth-led enterprises that are demonstrating the next generation’s approach to leveraging business for social change.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Energy, Environment, Social Enterprise, Technology
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IFC And ALCB Back West Africa’s First Gender Bond To Boost Women Entrepreneurs
The bond aims to address Côte d’Ivoire's significant credit gap for female entrepreneurs by channelling much-needed capital to nearly 1,200 women-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (WMSMEs).
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Incofin Invests in Banco Ficohsa Nicaragua to Accelerate Women’s Leadership in Business
Through both capital and strategic support, Banco Ficohsa Nicaragua and Incofin are helping the country’s business sector grow and showing their commitment to equal opportunities.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Latin America
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BII Provides $100 Million Towards Green Investments and Financial Inclusion in Africa
The funding aims to drive sustainable growth by facilitating lending to climate-related projects and women-led enterprises, expanding financial inclusion, and helping to close the region’s $42bn gender financing gap.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Finance, Transportation
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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