1. Mobile Technology: Privacy and other regulatory concerns have limited access to mobile communications metadata useful for public health. Is there a path forward? Brookings
2. Savings: "After years of relative neglect from proponents of 'financial inclusion,' why are [ROSCAs] now getting the attention they deserve?" CFI
3. Cash Transfers*: Are cash transfer evaluations doing enough to measure community-level tensions? IRIN News
4. Financial Inclusion: India's ambitious effort to bank the unbanked might create millions of new account holders, but true financial inclusion is more elusive goal than issuing plastic cards and numbers. The Indian Express
5. Big Data: Individuals can now willingly sell their marketing data to fund microfinance initiatives abroad - social enterprise or clever marketing scheme? Forbes
*If you're in the New York area and are interested in further discussion on cash transfers, please join us for FAI and MFCNY's event - How Unconditional Cash Transfers are Transforming International Development on Monday, December 8.
The image below is the first place winner in the 2014 CGAP photo contest aimed at visually capturing impact of microfinance and financial inclusion around the world. The complete list of winning photography is available here.
Editor’s Note: I’m going to assume that you are seeing plenty of AI content (news and papers, not AI slop, though I’m sure you’re getting plenty of that too) from other sources, so I’m trying to think hard about the marginal value that the faiV can provide. As far as I’ve gotten so far: a) make sure that directly AI-related content does not take up more than 2 of the 5 items, and b) try to focus specifically on the cybersecurity issue for financial inclusion. Beyond that, I’m open to feedback on the value you get from the faiV in relation to AI to help guide us in the future. On a different note, I’ll be making a brief cameo appearance at the e-MFP Inclusive Finance Conference to moderate the opening plenary. If you haven’t registered, do so and I hope to see you there! - Tim Ogden