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GE Commits $14.7 Million to Build Healthcare Skills in East Africa
The global health sector, particularly in the developing countries, faces critical workforce shortages. Africa ranks the lowest in the availability of health personnel. Sub-Saharan Africa is home to 12 percent of the world’s population and bears 25 percent of the world’s burden of diseases, but has only three percent of the world’s health workforce.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- impact investing
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The Disruptors Are Forcing Change in the Remittance Industry
Remittances to Africa have grown rapidly in recent times, and it forms an integral part of the $500 billion global money transfer market. This is because several African nations rely heavily on money sent home by friends and relatives working abroad. Hundreds of Africansare migrating daily to keep growing the influx. But the biggest gainers in this have for long being a few firms, whose near-monopoly costs the continent about $2 billion annually in remittance fees. However, a new breed of companies are causing much needed disruption in the money transfer market and are putting consumers back in control of their money.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- public policy, remittances
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New $35 million competition will enable greater financial inclusion for smallholder farmers in Africa
The MasterCard Foundation has announced the opening of a US$35 million Scaling Competition under its Fund for Rural Prosperity.
- Categories
- Agriculture
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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With a Billion Africans Set to Shop Online, a New Wave of Start-ups Is Looking to Cash In
Africa’s middle class is rising and they have money to spend. About a third of the continent spends between $4 to $20 a day—a group that is expected to grow to 42% by 2060, according to data from the Africa Development Bank (pdf). That’s more than a billion people.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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A Solar Power-Charging Backpack Made From Recycled Plastic
Fledgling social enterprise Rethaka sells backpacks for school kids that do a few things at once: Made from recycled plastic bags, they first of all address the plague of waste from that material. And with a charger powered by solar energy, they provide light for children who lack electricity at home, while also reducing the use of kerosene, which causes a great many accidents and illnesses. Its CEO, 22-year-old Thato Kgatlhanye, founded the company and developed the product, called Repurpose Schoolbags, while attending a university in Johannessburg, South Africa.
- Categories
- Energy
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Africa’s Leading Women in Tech 2015
South Africa paid tribute to women across the country on National Woman’s Day, which was held on 9 August 2015.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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“We Want to Turn Poo Into Gold”: How SMS Is Transforming Senegal’s Sanitation
On a stormy day in Dakar, Tina Gomis, a local woman in Sicap Mbao, laughs at the idea of selling her own excrement to the government. But this may soon become a reality in a city with a reputation for terrible waste management.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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MasterCard Foundation to Invest in Ugandan Companies
Uganda is among eight countries set to receive USD50m (Sh177b) by the Master Card Foundation Fund for Rural Prosperity to fund innovations aimed at improving access to finance in rural populations in sub Saharan Africa.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Impact Assessment
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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