Sun-Powered Farming: Ethiopian Farmers Save Thousands by Switching to Solar Irrigation
Smallholder farmers in Ethiopia are slashing their farming costs, increasing food production and protecting the environment thanks to solar-powered irrigation systems introduced through the Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable and Inclusive Development programme, led by the international NGO Farm Africa. In a country famous for its “13 months of sunshine”, Ethiopia has enormous potential to harness […]
What Does a Human-First, AI-Enabled Approach to Fighting Poverty Look Like?
For much of this year, we’ve been focusing with our community on the question: “How do we stay ambitious in the context of crisis and constraint?” With needs rising and budgets falling, AI is opening up new ways to do more with less. Yet AI is not neutral. As with all technologies, it offers opportunities […]
Why African Agriculture Must Prepare for its Nana Benz Moment
African smallholder farming is facing a succession crisis that threatens the loss of generations of accumulated knowledge. Research shows that economically aspiring younger generations are seeking an exit route from being trapped in rural poverty and limited prospects. The challenges faced by smallholders indicate a systemic fragility across many sectors, including education, labour markets and […]
Digital Inclusion Isn’t a Technology Challenge. It’s a People Challenge.
After spending several days with teachers, police officers, community organisations and older learners all involved in our work in Romania in May, I came away with a simple conviction. When it comes to social impact, we spend a lot of time talking about strategy, innovation and scale. But the difference is rarely strategy. It is […]
The $1 Trillion Blind Spot: Redirecting Climate Finance to Women-Led Solutions.
Women-led micro and small enterprises (MSEs) are already delivering climate solutions across critical sectors, from clean energy and food systems to waste, water, and digital services. Yet despite more than USD 1 trillion flowing into climate finance each year, only a small fraction reaches these businesses, and less than 5% supports adaptation (Climate Policy Initiative […]
Staying Ambitious with AI: 5 Lessons for Responsible Social Impact
Social impact organisations are under growing pressure. Needs are rising, resources are constrained, and teams are being asked to do more for more people, often with less. In this context, artificial intelligence offers real promise. Used well, AI can help organisations unlock knowledge, reduce administrative burden, improve decision-making and extend support to people and communities. […]
From Engagement to Action: 5 Ways to Activate Internal Stakeholders on Social Impact
In a period of economic uncertainty, geopolitical instability, organisational restructuring and growing regulatory pressure, businesses are facing competing demands. For social impact professionals, this creates a familiar challenge: how to keep social impact visible, credible and actionable when leaders and teams are under pressure. The task is no longer simply to raise awareness or generate […]
Moving Beyond Projects: How Corporate–NGO Partnerships Can Build Systems Collaboration
Corporate–NGO partnerships are entering a new era. The scale and complexity of global crises are increasing, while the resources available to address them are tightening. Poverty, climate disruption, conflict, displacement, debt pressures and rising costs are all placing pressure on communities, companies, NGOs and public institutions at the same time. At the same time, the […]
Unlocking More Impact from Limited Capital: 5 Lessons on Catalytic and Recyclable Finance
Businesses are being asked to deliver more social and environmental impact at a time when many social impact budgets are flat or declining. Teams are expected to support communities, respond to complex global challenges, contribute to sustainability goals and demonstrate measurable outcomes, often without significantly more funding. This pressure is prompting many companies to rethink […]
From Reaction to Prevention: Using Remittances to Act Before Climate Crises Hit
Year-on-year, climate-related disasters increase in frequency and intensity, placing growing pressure on communities and humanitarian systems. Around 99% of traditional humanitarian aid is issued retroactively – only after the worst impacts of disasters have been experienced. Yet disaster forecasting has improved dramatically. Today, around 50% of disaster impacts can be predicted. Across Latin America – […]
How Can We be Ambitious in the Face of Crisis and Constraint?
In the face of overlapping crises and deep budget cuts, it’s tempting to bunker down, focusing on managing risks and minimising costs. In this context, social impact professionals face a particular challenge. The scale of the crises we face, from conflict and climate impacts to persistent poverty, compels us to do more, not less, with […]
Five Bridges to 2045: How Business Can Deliver a Fairer, More Resilient World
From Crisis to Vision Imagine it’s 2045. What kind of world do you see? Today’s headlines paint a bleak picture—a tangled knot of political, economic, social, technological, and environmental crises. But step back from the noise, and we can ask a more important question: What kind of world do you want to see? While we […]