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South Africa’s Energy Schizophrenia: Why Hasn’t the Country Achieved Affordable Power for the Poor?
There are vast extremes between the energy rich and poor in South Africa, despite the country's great potential to make energy universally available. A new report by Impact Amplifier examines the reasons behind the discrepancies and describes five energy access business models for low-income communities: biogas, solar home systems, mini/micro grids, solar kiosks and solar appliances.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment
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Impact Assessment Reveals Visa’s Public-Private Partnership Boosts Financial Inclusion in Rwanda
The assessment concluded that this public-private partnership demonstrated a new model for doing business in emerging markets, which laid the groundwork for enhanced financial inclusion in the country.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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The Distributed Economy: Four Ways Blockchain Can Transform MSMEs in Emerging Markets
Micro, small and medium enterprises are the largest employers in many developing countries, but their growth is limited by a lack of access to savings, insurance, credit equity and payments services. Traditional companies aren't stepping up to solve the problem, but blockchain can help. Here are four ways this new type of data application can further MSME growth.
- Categories
- Technology
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KickStart and VisionFund to Bring Affordable Irrigation to African Farmers
Farmers in sub-Saharan Africa are set to benefit from a new partnership between World Vision’s microfinance arm, VisionFund International (VisionFund) and non-profit social enterprise, KickStart International (KickStart). The partners have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to provide an integrated solution to enable farmers to access, purchase and implement irrigation systems. With ambitious targets, the partnership anticipates 100,000 farmers (and 400,000 children) will benefit from greater access to water for their crops over the next five years.
- Categories
- Agriculture
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Impact Fund Managers from Africa and South America Join Capria Network
Today Capria announced it has signed agreements to invest in four fund managers who have joined Capria Network, the leading global network of impact fund managers. Capria’s 4th investment cycle has begun, seeking connection with more managers in emerging markets.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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M-Pesa boss shrugs off Safaricom split concerns, sees opportunities
"To be honest, I do not lie awake thinking about the challenges rather the opportunities we still have to deliver on,” Safaricom's director for financial services and head of M-Pesa Ronald Webb told the Star in an interview. This was in response to proposed legislation to split the operations of telecommunications firm from mobile money transfer services.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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More banks given go-ahead to roll out mobile cash in Kenya
The number of commercial banks approved by the Central Bank of Kenya to operate interbank mobile money transfer platform, PesaLink, has doubled to 24 from 12. The product was unveiled on February 16.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Cambodia caps interest on microfinance loans
The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) has capped interest on microfinance loans to a maximum of 18 percent per year, an unprecedented move that came on the direct orders of Prime Minister Hun Sen, Defence Minister Tea Banh said yesterday – a decision some experts suggested had political overtones and could have unintended negative consequences for the poor.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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