With the SMART Campaign’s retirement in March 2021, a quick look back at the path travelled, and some thoughts on social performance. For a long time, the achievement of social impact was considered a given of microfinance activity: since people…
The “Africa Rising” narrative has long been touted on the back of strong macro-economic growth across the continent since the early 2000’s. The recurring question however is whether it will in fact materialise and result in inclusive economic growth and…
Thanks to lenient regulations on deposit taking in West Africa, what we now understand as microfinance is individual loans to microentrepreneurs with an established business in the retail sector, used for working capital and small investments in their business, paid…
The world and emerging markets in particular have a waste problem. Cities around the world generate over 2 billion tons of waste per year, and one-quarter of the world’s population, located primarily in emerging markets, does not have its waste…
by Peter Moelders Covid-19 is impacting our lives in almost every way, privately and professionally. And it will continue to do so for quite some time, even if a proper vaccine is developed in the months to come. This blog…
ON THE ELECTRICITY DEMAND IN SUB-SAHARA AFRICA (SSA) Following the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) most governments in Africa adopted the target to reach universal access to electricity by 2030. However, 2018-levels of electrification in SSA remain low on…
Carbon tax is a fee imposed on the burning of carbon-based fuels (coal, oil, gas)1. Many economist and scientists regard it as an incentive to reduce the use of fossil fuels and an instrument for governments to reduce emissions, fight…
We at FS Impact Finance communicate and interact with our partners and clients all over the world, increasingly relying on information systems, electronic networks, the cyberspace. We benefit from the digital age, nevertheless organisations such as ours must step up…
In a first post, the author looked at the importance of the sustainable development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as a cornerstone to economic development: they create the most jobs (in volume), generate the most value-added and, though not…
As part of its analysis to inform COVID-19 policy responses, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is calling for adequate consideration of the vulnerability of economies as African governments consolidate efforts and define stimulus measures to mitigate national and regional…