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Two cents from an entrepreneur: how development institutions can help scale up base of the pyramid models
* By Andre Averbug Most discussions about scaling up base of the pyramid (BOP) models focus on financing the companies themselves, yet there are other ways development finance institutions (DFIs )could support BOP ventures.
From Boys to Men: How inclusive business in the Caribbean drives social and financial returns
*By Stefan Wright and Cynthia Hobbs Sometimes one opportunity can change a person’s life. That seems to be the case for Mr. Keefa Harris of Kingston, Jamaica. Keefa received training in steel work under an IDB-funded Citizen Security & Justice Program. His interest and dedication set him apart as a star participant.
Diversity and financial returns in higher education in Peru
How the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola revolutionizes access to higher education while still staying competitive By Bettina Boekle, Social Sustainability Specialist, IDB Would you believe me if I told you that in a large, prestigious Peruvian university, 97 percent of the students receiving a governmental scholarship self-identified as indigenous and speak numerous native languages amongst themselves? Yes, the 97 percent is real. Less and less is higher education in Peru attainable only for the upper class. Thanks to scholarship program Beca 18, Peru is offering free access to higher education for students from low-income families and remote areas of Peru. And the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola (USIL) is becoming a more diverse institution. To offer more entry points, for example to a growing emerging middle class, this week USIL and the IDB are officially launching an innovative student guarantee fund coupled with a clear implementation map around the principle of shared value.
What can Latin American countries learn from Korea in energy efficiency?
*By Narae Lee If you dig a hole through the center of the Earth, starting from Montevideo in Uruguay, you would get to Seoul, the capital of South Korea. Korea and Uruguay are the antipodes, meaning that they are diametrically opposite to each other. Korea is indeed one of the farthest countries from Latin America, seemingly not having many things in common with the region either. However, the Asian tiger has recently increased its visibility on the other end of the planet through Korean companies and celebrities in mass culture and sports, but most importantly by sharing its development experience.
Key Findings from the Base of Pyramid Week
By Elizabeth Boggs Davidsen* Last week, top executives of multinational and regional companies, leading impact investors, members of government, and international organization representatives came from around the US and the globe to learn from the IDB and each other about how business models for the base of the pyramid can launch and scale quickly and profitably. The event was organized by Opportunities for the Majority (OMJ), the IDB department in charge of spotting, nurturing and funding business models to engage base of the pyramid markets on a large scale in Latin America and the Caribbean.