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Don’t Fear the Rate Cap: Why Cambodia’s Microcredit Regulations Aren’t Such a Bad Thing
The Cambodian government recently shocked its microcredit industry by capping interest rates at 18 percent – about half the current rate of most loans. Many analysts sympathetic to the industry have strongly criticized the move, but Milford Bateman argues it's actually an important step in protecting the poor – and resolving an "existential crisis" in a sector plagued by unsustainable growth and high over-indebtedness.
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JazzCash partners with Women’s World Banking to serve low-income women in Pakistan
JazzCash, Pakistan’s digital financial service provider, and Women’s World Banking, a global non-profit organization, have announced a partnership to promote women’s financial inclusion across Pakistan.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- North Africa & Near East
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As Delhi hikes minimum wage, trade unions urge other Indian states to follow
A "historic" move to raise the minimum wage of millions of Delhi's poorest workers by almost 40 percent should be extended to other parts of the country to fight exploitation, trade unions and rights groups said on Tuesday.
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- Region
- South Asia
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Why investing in “good” goes a long way
One of the most intriguing developments of the last 20 years is the rise of the “social enterprise” – a hybrid between a traditional private company and a charitable organisation that pursues a social objective through a business model.
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Indonesia on Track to Greater Financial Inclusion
Millions of unbanked Indonesians are going to enjoy easier access to the savings, loan and insurance services on the back of the government's renewed political will to tackle financial exclusion, an executive at Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation said. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's seeks to grant access to financial services to 75 percent of Indonesian adults by 2019, up from 36 percent in 2014.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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Follow the Money: The IT Hurdles of Microlending
When the crowdfunding non-profit Kiva.org launched a pilot in 2014 to streamline their transactions in Kenya, they met local shop owners like Esther, who was running a stall called “Facebook Cereals.” Kenya had suffered political unrest in recent years, and Esther had to restart her business in the Toi Market of Nairobi twice. But she kept her smile.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Survey: Lack of Financial Literacy Costs Americans over $9,700 across their Lifetimes
The National Financial Educators Council recently released results of a survey about financial knowledge conducted with 3,006 people in six age categories across the US. People were asked, "Across your entire lifetime, about how much money do you think you have lost because you lacked knowledge about personal finances?"
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Meet the 2017 Skoll Awardees for Social Entrepreneurship
Kicking off next week’s 14th Annual Skoll World Forum, the Skoll Foundation announced the four recipients of the 2017 Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship. The Skoll Awards distinguish transformative leaders whose organizations disrupt the status quo, drive sustainable large-scale change, and are poised to create even greater impact on the world.
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- Region
- North America
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