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Crypto-Enabled Sun Exchange Expands in Africa With Solar-Plus-Storage Project for Nhimbe Fresh
Sun Exchange, the world’s first peer-to-peer solar leasing platform, has announced its expansion into sub-Saharan Africa with the launch of the crowdsale for Phase 1 of a multiphase 1.9 megawatt (MW) solar-plus-storage project for Nhimbe Fresh, a premier exporter of fresh produce in Marondera, Zimbabwe. This will be the largest Sun Exchange solar installation to date and the first outside South Africa.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Keeping Finance in the Family: How Intra-Family Accounts Can Help Low-Income Customers During COVID-19 – and Beyond
Banks in emerging countries often struggle to generate active usage of the accounts they offer to young people. Yet as Anne Marie van Swinderen at L-IFT points out, financial diaries research has shown that young people save frequently and significantly – especially when their earnings rise. She explores how intra-family accounts could help banks serve this challenging demographic during COVID-19 and in the longer term – while also expanding their financial services to other members of the family.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
- Tags
- COVID-19, financial inclusion, youth
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Analysis: In Times of COVID-19, the Future of Education Depends on the Provision of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Services
Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) have emerged as an issue of particular concern when considering schools reopening.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Education, WASH
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- global development, hygiene, sanitation, water, youth
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COVID-19: Burden or Boon for Financial Inclusion?
When the Alliance for Financial Inclusion outlined its “Five Key Financial Inclusion Policy Trends for 2020” on January 17 of this year, the spread of the novel coronavirus was still in its infancy. Now that COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the global economy, Robin Newnham at the Alliance for Financial Inclusion revisits those trends, viewing them through the prism of the pandemic – and finding both new risks, and new opportunities.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
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Youth Saving and Spending During COVID-19: Tracking Young People’s Financial Activity in Nigeria
How are young people in Africa saving and spending money during COVID-19, when many of their previous sources of income have disappeared? Mahlet Alemayehu at L-IFT shares the results of a study in which 117 young people living in Nigeria kept a record of their savings and spending over several months. The data can help financial service providers anticipate how young people will need to use their accounts, and determine what other services they may need as they navigate the challenges of the pandemic.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
- Tags
- COVID-19, financial inclusion, research, savings, youth
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The Network Effect: How Enterprise Support Organizations are Coming Together to Help Youth-Led Businesses Survive COVID-19
The economic fallout of COVID-19 has taken a devastating toll on micro, small and medium enterprises, and youth-led businesses are particularly vulnerable. But as Anita Tiessen at Youth Business International explains, the crisis also presents opportunities for these enterprises. She discusses some key ways to help young entrepreneurs emerge stronger from the pandemic.
- Categories
- Coronavirus
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Africa Declared Free of Wild Polio in ‘Milestone’
Africa has been declared free from wild polio by the independent body, the Africa Regional Certification Commission.
- Categories
- Health Care
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Interview: Fred Swaniker on How Entrepreneurs Could Help Africa Emerge Stronger From the Coronavirus Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has crippled much of the global economy, with potentially disastrous impacts for many African nations. But there are signs of hope, too.
- Categories
- Coronavirus
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- innovation, youth