-
Dear Critics: Here’s Why the Off-grid Energy Industry Needs Impact Investment
Off-grid lighting trade organization GOGLA responds to a recent post from Ceniarth critical of "hype" in the energy access sector. Consider the off-grid market within the context of the wider world and economy around it, say John Keane and Laura Sundblad, and remember that millions of households around the globe live with unreliable, dangerous, inadequate and ultimately extremely expensive means of lighting and basic energy.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment, Investing
-
MetLife Renews Sponsorship Of “Multipliers of Prosperity” Financial Inclusion Site
MetLife Foundation today proudly announces its third year as sponsor of Multipliers of Prosperity, an award winning custom content hub led by WSJ. Custom Studios that helps raise awareness about the challenges and opportunities in the realm of financial inclusion.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
-
How Can Inclusive Business Advance the SDGs?
Two recent publications released in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals' first anniversary share the view that inclusive business is a part of the solution to deliver on the SDGs. That's a sign of progress, according to Jenny Melo, but we still need to go deeper in the conversation and ask for impacts, measurements and specific connections.
- Categories
- Education, Energy, Environment, Health Care, Social Enterprise
-
Study: Many South Africans ill-equipped to make sound money decisions
A considerable portion of South African adults may not be adequately equipped to make key financial decisions, a new financial literacy study has found. While there was broad evidence that South Africans had a positive attitude towards saving, personal and macroeconomic realities often hindered their savings behaviour, Benjamin Roberts, senior research manager at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), said.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
Fintech Deals in South East Asia Hit Record Numbers in 2016
The total number of venture-backed deals to fintech companies in South East Asia (i.e. Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) reached record highs in 2016 according to data released by CB Insights recently.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Asia Pacific
-
Dollar by Dollar or Goat by Goat: How Financial Health Translates Across Oceans
The Center for Financial Services Innovation, in partnership with the Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, explored how a U.S.-oriented financial health framework could translate into a developing world context. They discovered that the concept of financial health resonates just as strongly in lower-income countries as it does in the United States.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
-
Social Business Roundup: The Problem with Sachets, the Beauty of Rats and the Dark Side of Cross-Selling
Everyone seems to love the products in individually-sized sachets being sold at the BoP ... except for Mother Nature. Ethiopia's only too happy to roll out the welcome mat for some rats with amazing TB-sniffing skills. A questionable cross-selling strategy in South Africa harms a vulnerable population and raises uncomfortable questions about financial inclusion. It's all part of our weekly Social Business Roundup.
- Categories
- Environment, Health Care, Social Enterprise, Technology
-
Ecobank plans to use its app to make traditional bank accounts relevant in Africa
For the past 15 years, the growth of mobile phones in Africa has helped fill the void poor banking infrastructure has created – with the technology being used to address the needs of the unbanked.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
The Best of NextBillion in Your Inbox Each Week!
Subscribe to NB Notes for news, jobs & on-the-ground insights from the world of emerging markets business.
We respect your privacy. Your information is safe and will never be shared.
Don't miss out. Subscribe today.