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Financial Inclusion: Equity Bank, Master Card Launch New Prepaid Card in Kenya
In a manner of speaking, Africa can mentor the rest of the world on mobile money based on the number of such solutions that have been successfully planted on the continent in the past half-decade. In a very recent development, Equity Bank Kenya has, in conjunction with MasterCard, launched a prepaid card with the central aim of deepening the cash lite economy in the east African country.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Don’t Cover Everything: Why targeted health microinsurance can work better than full coverage
EA Consultants’ efforts to understand both the business case and client value of microinsurance led to some interesting findings. For instance, catastrophic health insurance represented much greater value than primary or outpatient care for clients, but its behavioral effects skewed against good health outcomes. Barbara Magnoni discusses these findings, and offers some solutions.
- Categories
- Education, Health Care
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Kompanion Financial Group Completes Equity Raise with Investment from FMO and Triodos Investment Management
Kompanion Financial Group, one of the largest microfinance institutions in the Kyrgyz Republic both by loan portfolio and number of clients, has concluded an equity raise selling a 35% stake to international investors. The shares were purchased by Netherlands based investors FMO and Triodos Investment Management, with the latter investing through Triodos Fair Share Fund and Triodos Microfinance Fund. Kompanion’s founder Mercy Corps will remain majority shareholder and hold a 65% stake. The funds will be used for growth capital in the lending operations and support Kompanion’s transformation to a licensed banking institution.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- Europe & Eurasia
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Banking Africa’s Unbanked Population is Not the Solution to Improved Inclusion
Banking Africa’s unbanked population–adults who don’t use formal banks or semi-formal microfinance institutions to save or borrow money–may not be the solution to providing wider access to financial products and services.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Nigeria’s Next Challenge: Bank Us Please
Like any other country, Nigeria has its problems. However, Nigeria perched now as Africa’s “Golden Child” with a GDP of $510 billion, ballooning past South Africa who has numerous economic challenges ahead.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Weekly Roundup – 2/20/15: A Turning Point in the Evolution of Microfinance?
There has been plenty of research questioning the social impact of microcredit. But the latest studies in the American Economic Journal feel far more momentous. Conducted by prominent poverty researchers, and covering six countries on four continents, they consistently undermine the sector’s core social impact claims. NextBillion will cover the Feb. 27 event on the research and the path ahead.
- Categories
- Education, Environment, Impact Assessment
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Consumer Protection in Microfinance Exceeds 15-Million-Client Mark via Smart Certified Institutions
It’s been an exciting few months for client protection in the microfinance industry. FINCA Kyrgyzstan, MBK Ventura in Indonesia, SKS Microfinance in India, and a number of other MFIs around the world demonstrated that they successfully integrate the client protection principles into their practices and joined the rapidly growing list of institutions that are Smart Certified. Today, we’re pleased to share that the number of clients across all the Smart Certified institutions surpassed the 15-million-client benchmark.
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- Uncategorized
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Low-Income Filipinos Can Rely on Microinsurance When Disaster Strikes
The domestic insurance industry posted a stellar growth performance in the past year, registering an estimated 28 million Filipinos protected by microinsurance.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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