Week of September 22, 2014

1. Impact Evaluations:  Most impact evaluations look at interventions to improve the lives of the poor, but are they actually making poor people’s lives better? The World Bank - Development Impact

2. Financial Inclusion:  Elisabeth Rhyne reminds us the recipe for digital financial inclusion (technology + efficient delivery models + effective regulation) is easier said then done, even when a country has all of the "ingredients" in place.  Center for Financial Inclusion

3. Retail Banking:  Walmart announced it now offers customers a low-cost checking account product through a partnership with GoGreen.  The new "GoBank" accounts have no overdraft fees or minimum balance requirements. TechCrunch

4. Payments:  Japan to the US:  "Using your phone to buy stuff? We’ve been doing that for years." Time Money

5. Data and Tech: Conversations around the collection and storage of personal data usually center around privacy concerns.  But a life off of the grid is not necessarily a good thing - the "data divide" can create inequalities for communities and individuals. Data Innovation