With more than 20,000 species of plants and animals native to the country, the Philippines is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. Much of this biodiversity is contained in natural forest areas, but these once-lush forests and their biodiversity are degrading at an alarming rate. Over time, the country has lost approximately…
The success of Kenya’s mobile money system, M-PESA, over the past few years has opened many people’s eyes to the potential of digital solutions to expand access to finance. In recent years, global markets have also taken notice in the lucrative opportunity posed by digital financial services or “fintech” (shorthand for the financial technology space).…
Rwanda has ambitious plans to strengthen its health care system by improving patient data management. To this end, Chemonics’ USAID-funded Rwanda Family Health Project is assisting the Ministry of Health to expand an electronic medical records system called OpenMRS as a key sector priority to improve health care facility services. Developing countries often have to manage their…
In Mozambique, saving lives can be as simple as sending a text. Although most of the country’s population lives in coastal cities, which are vulnerable to natural disasters like tropical storms and cyclones, residents sometimes lack access to early-warning information on approaching storms or potential flooding zones. Because of this lack of information, they are…
When approaching retirement, having a stable pension in place makes an enormous economic and psychological difference. Without that financial stability, however, it is easy for the elderly to fall into poverty. In Armenia, the risk of poverty is 1.2 times higher for households with two or more elderly people (over 60 years of age). This…
“In the development world, the term ‘middlemen’ comes with somewhat negative connotations. They have been called ‘coyotes,’ ‘hyenas,’ and ‘predatory rent-seekers,’” said Stephen McCarthy, a Chemonics value chain expert with 35 years of experience. Mr. McCarthy was a director in Chemonics’ Agriculture and Food Security practice and the former chief of party on the Feed…