Is access to credit enough to improve welfare indicators at the firm or farm level? In recent years, a great deal of hope to promote development has been placed on the potential transformative power of financial access (World Bank 2007; Karlan and Morduch 2010). At the firm or farm level, having access to credit can facilitate the purchase of necessary inputs in a timely … [Read more...] about Credit or no credit? Is that really the question?
An informal Uber?
At rush hour it is virtually impossible to get a cab ride in Bogota or Lima. The last time I went to Bogotá, the line for taxis at the airport was even longer than the queue for immigration. I was tired, it was 10:30 pm and it drizzled. I would have given my kingdom for an Uber, which does charge more if demand is higher. Finally, and after an hour long wait, I got into a dirty … [Read more...] about An informal Uber?
Democratizing public transportation
By Sergio Deambrosi* Despite the great benefits that Cali, Colombia’s new mass transportation system has brought to the city, low useage poses a challengefor its long-term sustainability. Just three years ago Cali, Colombia’s third city by population, had chaotic traffic. Streets and avenues were congested most of the day with a proliferation of buses, which contributed … [Read more...] about Democratizing public transportation
The Macho River: Source of Life, Electricity and Employment
By Carlos Echevarría* Modernization of the Macho River hydroelectric plant in Costa Rica has created more than 300 direct jobs and will supply electricity to more than 228,000 homes. Springing from the virgin forests of Cerro de la Muerte (Death Peak) in Costa Rica, crystal clear waters form a powerful outflow that creates the Macho River and are a source of energy for … [Read more...] about The Macho River: Source of Life, Electricity and Employment
How far away is your water?
By Jorge Oyamada* More than 10,000 households in rural areas of Paraguay enjoy a safe drinking water system thanks to funding from the IDB and FECASALC. Paraguay’s Virgen del Rosario Community houses 111 families and until a little over a year ago it had no potable water, forcing villagers to walk long distances to fetch water every day. “I used to carry … [Read more...] about How far away is your water?