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Reinventing the toilet
Traditional flush toilets aren’t an option in many parts of the world, but neither is leaving people with unsafe and unhygenic choices. Now, one company is piloting a new loo that's waterless, off-grid and able to charge your phone. Lina Zeldovich travels to Madagascar to witness the start of a lavatorial revolution.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- public health, SDGs
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MobiCash Launches MobiSpaza in South Africa
The new platform is a spaza sector-focused mobile platform and is an inclusive business tool that builds bridges between spaza sector stakeholders, such as private corporations, state-owned entities, co-operatives, and not-for-profit organizations, and the township communities they serve.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- fintech
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Innovation Prize for Africa recognizes Lakheni
A South African initiative that uses group buying power to lower food prices for needy communities, using a mobile app, has been nominated for the continental prize.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Impact investments booming in Africa
Impact investing has become a key focus for many fund managers on the continent. Just under half of funds surveyed in Southern, West and East Africa are awake to the idea that their assets can not only be used to generate good returns for their clients, but also outcomes that are good for society at large.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Fintech companies take on banks, telcos with big data arsenal in Africa
Developing markets such as Kenya do not yet have the levels of Internet penetration and e-commerce sophistication to attract these online giants turned fintech entrepreneurs. At the same time, a stable of local fintech companies are sprouting and they are expected to mature as fast Internet becomes more affordable and as Kenyans embrace shopping and banking online.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- digital payments, fintech
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Zimbabwe cash crisis hits microfinance institution GetBucks
“When we do have cash we have been able to disburse money, but particularly bond notes that we are receiving from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. It differs daily based on demand so on one day it can be $30, $50 and $100. Its similar with what is prevailing in the market,” Soko said.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- microfinance
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Nigerian Tech Startup Tizeti Secures $2.1M To Bring Affordable Wireless Internet To Africa
Unlike other telcos, who many think have a monopoly on internet data services in the country, Tizeti can keep costs low for its consumer-facing brand, wifi.com.ng, because it is investing heavily in building out its own solar-panelled network of towers across Lagos, as well as a network of over 3,000 public hotspots across the city.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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LeapFrog announces USD 180 million investment in Enterprise Group Ltd
LeapFrog Investments, the profit-with-purpose investor in emerging markets, today announces a total investment of USD 180m in Ghanaian financial services market leader, Enterprise Group Limited (Enterprise Group). The transaction draws from a USD 350m separately managed account, LeapFrog Strategic African Investments (LSAI), which was established in 2016 to access high growth markets in Africa.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- impact investing
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