70% of 10-Year-Olds now in Learning Poverty, Unable to Read and Understand a Simple Text

As a result of the worst shock to education and learning in recorded history, learning poverty has increased by a third in low- and middle-income countries, with an estimated 70% of 10-year-olds unable to understand a simple written text, according to a new report published by the World Bank, UNESCO, UNICEF, UK government Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), USAID, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This rate was 57% before the pandemic, but now the learning crisis has deepened. This generation of students now risks losing $21 trillion…

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HDFC Bank, Mastercard, USAID and DFC Launch $100 Million Credit Facility for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India

HDFC Bank, Mastercard, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) launched a $100 million credit facility to promote and encourage small businesses in India to digitize, while also helping Indian businesses, particularly those that are women-owned, to recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic. COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on small businesses, forcing many to close prematurely. Additionally, the accelerated shift to digital payments engendered by the pandemic means that small businesses must adapt to changing market dynamics and consumer preferences to…

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PepsiCo, USAID Launch Five-Year, $20 Million Partnership to Empower Women in Agriculture

PepsiCo have announced a new five-year, $20 million partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative, supporting the global food and beverage leader’s efforts to empower women in agriculture and help build a more sustainable food system. The goal of the project is to drive inclusivity across the food and beverage industry by demonstrating that actively engaging women as critical drivers of PepsiCo’s sustainable sourcing strategy leads to better business results. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, if women…

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WaterAid Joins USAID & Gap Inc. Women + Water Alliance to improve well-being of women in India’s apparel industry

WaterAid has joined the USAID and Gap Inc. Women + Water Global Development Alliance (W+W Alliance) as an implementing partner. Launched in 2017, the five-year program aims to improve and sustain the health and well-being of women and communities in India touched by the apparel industry. WaterAid will complement the work of existing partners including CARE, Water.org, and the Institute for Sustainable Communities and will focus on ensuring continuous access to clean drinking water. “We’re pleased to welcome WaterAid to the W+W Alliance to lend its proven expertise engaging and…

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