Vietnam

Mobile phones are one of the ways ADB says will increase microfinance availability among the poor. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cimmyt/8048414699/">CIMMYT (flickr)</a>.

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Financial Inclusion

MFIs should offer more than just microfinance, study finds

Despite the surging popularity of microfinance in the last several decades, access among the poor in Asia and the Pacific remains low. A new report says technology and livelihood programs will put it in the hands of more people.

As the world gets richer, competition for resources like water and livestock will likely increase. Photo: Erin Gray for MercyCorps

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Extreme poverty could end by 2030, but the planet might pay for it

The world’s soaring wealth will nearly wipe out poverty worldwide by 2030, according to the National Intelligence Council.

Costa Rica topped the 2012 Happy Planet Index of global wealth largely due to its environmental protection policies. Photo: Erik Mandell for MercyCorps

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Who is really rich? Measuring beyond GDP

By one measurement, Costa Rica is now the richest country on earth. That may sound surprising, but less-orthodox indices are looking beyond GDP to see which countries are the wealthiest.

Vietnam hopes to prove that sustainable farming practices aren't just good for the environment, they're also good for business. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/babomike/3691993429/in/photostream/">Mike Rowe (Flickr)</a>

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Multinationals lead push for sustainable coffee in Vietnam

Sure, sustainable farming is good for the environment. But as more and more companies are realizing, it can be good for business as well.

Case in point: Vietnam, where multinational corporations have begun a drive to improve the sustainability of the country's coffee sector.

Eating well isn't only good for you, it's good for the economy, too. Photo: Edgar Putul/Mercy Corps Guatemala

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The world's cheapest path to wealth: Well-fed kids

In a time of global economic crisis, the world is exploring every possible hindrance to economic growth: debt, unemployment, inflation... malnutrition?

Cash transfers let people choose what they want to spend money on, like these buffalo. Other purchases could be anything from farm machinery to food. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/futura/3087912082/">andrew chang (flickr)</a>

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The Next Big Thing in Foreign Aid

When people donate to charity, they don’t usually expect their money to go straight into the pocket of a needy person half a world away.

A worker makes a lens for a digital camera in a Chinese factory. Rising wages could contribute to the growth of sophisticated manufacturing jobs in China. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/boolean">Robert S. Donovan (Flickr)</a>

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When Profit isn't "Made in China"

In China, wages are rising and the cost of labor is increasing. The consequences of this trend are affecting different economic groups in ways that spell significant changes for China’s economy.

Check out this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myz8llpbpDU">video</a> to hear directly from Howard and learn more about Vittana. Photo: Vittana

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Student Loans: A Gap in the Microfinance Market

Microfinance, as a poverty alleviation strategy, was popularized in the development sector thanks to the work of Muhammad Yunus. Traditional microfinance loans are distributed to small business owners and entrepreneurs with the goal of increasing the scale and profits of their businesses.

The Mekong River. Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashandsmoked/1357553641/">tashandsmoked(flickr)</a>

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Mekong Dams Cause a Stir

Before it reaches the sea, the Mekong River travels more than 2,500 miles through Tibet, China, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is estimated that more than 60 million people depend on the river in some way.