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FinDev Blog
Consumer Protection in a Digital Age
The Smart Campaign's new standards and guidance for digital finance mark a profound shift for the sector - from a previous focus on staff behavior towards clients, to the increasing importance of product design and delivery, as well as data protection.
By Elisabeth Rhyne, Center for Financial Inclusion
FinDev Blog
Productive Versus Consumption Loans: A Distinction That Hurts Rather Than Helps
Water.org explains why water and sanitation loans have high repayment rates and should be prioritized by MFIs, and makes a call to all microfinance professionals to reject the misguided labeling of loans as either productive or for consumption only.
By Lesley Pories, Water.org
FinDev Blog
Are Refugees Too Risky for Financial Inclusion?
Large numbers of vulnerable communities continue to flee their home countries due to war and conflict. Settling in refugee camps, they are perceived by many financial institutions as too risky to serve. VisionFund International explores the opportunities and challenges in serving refugee communities in West Nile, Uganda.
By Martina Crailsheim, VisionFund International
FinDev Blog
Can Mobile Wallets Increase Access to Remittances and Other Financial Services?
Home to more than 600,000 Syrian refugees, Jordan hosts the second highest ratio of refugees in the world - 89 refugees per 1,000 inhabitants. In this blog post, Amarante Consulting shares what they learned from evaluating the Dig#ttances project, which explored digital solutions for refugees and the unbanked in Jordan.
By Sahana Arun Kumar, Amarante Consulting
FinDev Blog
Digitize, Direct, Design (D3): Can These Three Principles Help Close the Gender Gap?
To realize the potential gains of financial inclusion, more intentional efforts are needed to close persistent gender gaps. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has developed three core principles for advancing women’s financial inclusion and economic empowerment.
By Alexandra Fiorillo, Liz Kellison
FinDev Blog
Microfinance in the Digital World: Seven Questions for the Future
Will fintechs take over microfinance? Can traditional microfinance lenders survive? How? Elisabeth Rhyne of the Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion answers these and other burning questions.
By Elisabeth Rhyne, Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion
FinDev Blog
The Gender Gap is Wide. Which FinTechs Are Working to Narrow It?
A new Female-Focused Fintech Prize aims to connect and bring attention to fintech products working for women.
By Alina Kaiser, DFS Lab
FinDev Interview
Are Soft Skills Still Relevant As Microfinance Moves Into the Digital Age?
Peter Surek, European Microfinance Network (EMN) Board Member, delves into key questions on human resource challenges and disruptive technology ahead of their upcoming conference, which is shaking things up with a new format designed to inspire and bring together participants.
FinDev Blog
How PAYGo Solar Companies Can Shine for Investors
The pay-as-you-go (PAYGo) solar industry has attracted a lot of interest among impact investors. But complex business models and a lack of reporting standards may be putting off large-scale investment.
By Nicky Khaki, Daphne Pit, Miguel Soriano
FinDev Interview
Does Digital Transformation Mean Turning Your Employees Into Robots?
Grzegorz Galusek, Executive Director of the Microfinance Centre, discusses digitalization, agile working and what we can look forward to from this year's annual conference.