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In: Stories

Cemex makes home improvements accessible for the poor in 5 Latin American countries

CEMEX, a global leader in the building supply and cement industry, has recently expanded its highly-successful Patrimonio Hoy initiative. Originally started in 1998 with the goal of reducing the housing deficit in Mexico, Patrimonio Hoy has since expanded into 4 additional Latin American countries...

In: Stories

The Asian Development Bank and Non-Governmental Organizations: Working Together

The Microcredit Project in Indonesia, established by the Asian Development Bank and approved in 1994, focuses on microenterprise support, recognizing the potential of microenterprises to create jobs at low capital input costs and raise the income levels of the poor.

In: Stories

PwC supports minority children education project in collaboration with Save the Children and local government

The PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) team provided support to the Yunnan Minority Basic Education Project (YMBEP), which was formed through a collaboration between Save the Children International and the local government.

In: Stories

Multinational Corporations fund Hathay Bunano Proshikshan Society (HBPS), an NGO trying to promote the emploment of women in Bangladesh

While many NGOs in Bangladesh try to generate employment for the poor through microcredit, Hathay Bunano Proshikhan Samity (HBPS) chose to provide direct employment opportunities for poor women in rural areas, with special preference given to disadvantaged groups. Since 2005, the company produces...

In: Stories

Pot-in-pot Enterprise: Fridge for the Poor

In 2000, Mohammed Bah Abba was awarded the Rolex Award for Enterprise for his innovative Pot-in-Pot system to provide affordable, electricity free, refrigeration in arid Nigeria.

In: Stories

Toyola Charcoal Stove: Improving the Environment and Health of the Poor in Ghana

Toyola Energy Limited is a company that operates in Ghana. It produces and distributes energy efficient charcoal stoves and solar lanterns for domestic users in the urban and rural parts of Ghana. Toyola entrepreneurs Suraj Wahab and Ernest Kyei – two artisans - have implemented an innovative...

In: Stories

Votorantim Celulose e Papel (VCP) in Brazil: Planting eucalyptus in partnership with the rural poor

Brazil suffers from high income inequality and widespread poverty, especially in rural areas. Despite recent policies to support rural settlements through land reform, a mismatch remains between the rural population’s social demands and the state’s capacity to respond.

In: Stories

Meeting the demand of low-income women: Lifespring’s maternal care in India

LifeSpring Hospital in India is innovatively meeting the growing demand of low-income women who deserve affordable and dignified medical care. By focusing on a particular niche, maternal care, and different cost-saving strategies, this hospital provides maternal care at one-fifth of market...

In: Stories

Through an initiative of ASGN, micro-credit and tourism save giraffes in Niger

ASGN (the Association to Safeguard the Giraffes of Niger) used grants from the Wildlife Protection Foundation in the UK and from the Zoo de Doue in France to set up a successful micro-credit scheme.

In: Stories

Ouro Verde is part of the New Ventures initiative at the World Resources Institute

Brazilian entrepreneur Luis Laranja's company, Ouro Verde, is part of the New Ventures initiative at the World Resources Institute. New Ventures works with small and medium enterprises that have positive environmental impacts, and helps grow environmental entrepreneurship in emerging markets.

In: Stories

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation makes financial services accessible to the poor

The Financial Services for the Poor initiative created by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provides poor people with reliable access to a range of safe, affordable financial tools and services intended to help them build better, healthier lives.

In: Stories

Uganda : Project Hope and Hard Work

The importance of microcredit in Uganda has soared in the recent decade and the instrument is now seen as one of the most effective tools to tackle poverty in the country.

In: Stories

A sucessful community/private/public partnership model for waste recycling in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, the large proportion of urban population combined with limited waste collection systems poses serious social, environmental and health problems. A social enterprise called Waste Concern has found a way to transform solid waste into organic compost using a low cost, low-tech and...

In: Stories

Parternships in Belarus providing affordable Health Care to the Poor

Cardiovascular diseases are common among the population of Belarus. Belarus lacks quick cardiac diagnostic and treatment services in many remote areas outside of major cities. Telemedicine offers a solution to this problem by connecting a doctor in a local hospital with a cardiac specialist in a...

In: Stories

SKS Microfinance Case Study - Lakshmi's Story

SKS Microfinance Limited (SKS) is a non-banking finance company regulated by the Reserve Bank of India and currently operating in 19 of India's 28 states. SKS' mission is to eradicate poverty by providing financial services to the poor.

In: Resources

A Fresh Start: Asian villages carve out a new life

In 2004, the Wildlife Conservation Society, which credits itself with having saved the American bison a century ago, set up the Tmatboey Ibis Ecotourism Project to lure bird-watchers. During the most recent peak season, November 2008 to May 2009, services provided to bird-watching visitors brought...

In: Resources

Citi Dhaka arranges loan for NGO micro-finance institution

In July 2009, Citi Dhaka helped arrange a syndicated loan (subscribed by a group of local banks) for $21.7 million for BURO, a not-for-profit that is one of the fastest growing microfinance institutions in Bangladesh. BURO Bangladesh is a specialized micro-finance institution that provides high...

In: Stories

Partnerships allow Rural Finance Corporation to promote rural development in Moldova

Rural Finance Corporation (RFC) is a non-bank for-profit financial institution that has been functioning on the financial market of the Republic of Moldova for 10 years. Its mission is to directly take action against poverty in Moldova and promote rural development, offering favorable financial...

In: Stories

Freedom from Hunger’s Benkadi Tongorongo association provides micro loans and group support in Mali

In rural Mali, Miama sells rice to support her family, thanks to both a microloan and the group support she receives from Freedom from Hunger's Benkadi Tongorongo association.

In: Stories

Reuters Market Light: Creating Efficient Markets

Reuters Market Light (RML), a business incubated by Thomson Reuters, is a pioneering mobile phone-based agri information service provider. The service is designed to provide farmers with personalised timely and actionable agricultural information from pre-sowing to post-harvest stages through SMS...