Goodbye…and Viva Accion!
Elisabeth Rhyne is retiring. On this occasion, she reflects on “Aha!” moments that revealed the future for Accion and CFI.
Q and A with Mayada El-Zoghbi, CFI’s New Managing Director
The incoming leader talks about her passion for financial inclusion, the role of digital, and more.
The Next CFI Challenge: Financial Inclusion for Sustainable Development
As Elisabeth Rhyne prepares to step down as Managing Director of the Center for Financial Inclusion, she challenges the financial inclusion field to get its hands dirty in the real sector.
Telling a Human Story of Tech in Agent Networks
Jacqueline Foelster gives a behind-the-scenes look at a recent CFI report she co-authored, and explains why the human angle is so important.
What an Apprenticeship System May Reveal About the Financial Health of Small Business Owners in Nigeria
Research shows how small business owners hone their financial capability as they build job skills.
Counting More than Accounts: What Can Frequency of Transactions Tell Us About Financial Inclusion?
Analyzing frequency of usage gives insight2impact an indication of how populations are (or aren’t) switching to digital channels for transacting.
Alex Counts: “Winners Take All” Is Forceful and Unexpectedly Balanced, but Lacking
The CFI Advisory Council member summarizes Anand Giridharadas’s key points and reflects on his non-profit leadership experience.
Sub-Saharan Africa Mobile Money: Diverse Use Cases, Enabling Environment Boost Adoption
"Payments as a platform" will also aid in empowering millions in the region to maximize income generation opportunities, according to the GSMA.
Financial Inclusion: For What?
Why we chose the 2019 theme "Financial Inclusion: For What?" and its four guiding answers
Building Innovation: APIs, Fintechs and Financial Institutions
Don’t know much about APIs? CFI Research Fellow Dan Kleinbaum describes them—including their main delivery types—and their potential for helping institutions reach the underserved.
Consumer Protection in a Digital Age
The Smart Campaign launches new standards and guidance for digital financial service providers.
A Fourth Era: Balancing Behavioral Interventions with Quality Education
Financial education alone isn't the answer to improving client outcomes, but we shouldn’t forsake education for behavior-only approaches.
Rural America: Another Casualty of Student Loan Debt?
Young people flocking to better pay in urban hubs is just another symptom of an over-indebtedness problem that requires modern solutions.
Smart Campaign’s Next 10 Years to Start With New Digital Standards
Founded in the aftermath of the 2009 financial crisis, Smart has embedded client protection into a variety of sector products and practices. Now, risks from digital financial service provision are giving rise to new standards of protection.
A Ugandan Refugee Camp Hosts Potential for Financial Inclusion
Newly arrived South Sudanese refugees at the Bidi Bidi camp have few resources, but mobile money and agent banking are among several potential vehicles for financial inclusion.
Libra: With Opportunity Comes Responsibility to Safeguard
Together, we can ensure the products and services using the Facebook-backed platform create trust and value.
Book Review: “Changing the World Without Losing Your Mind: Leadership Lessons from Three Decades of Social Entrepreneurship”
Alex Counts' combination “memoir, historical reference, and instruction manual” for social impact work offers actionable wisdom and a “front row seat” to financial inclusion’s formative years.
In Praise of John Lwande
He was passionate about his work, committed to the goal of building a strong Africa, and he had a most positive outlook on life.