News and blogs

GIF is happy to announce we are investing in a recycling business that integrates marginalised waste collectors into a fair-trade system. Mr Green Africa recycles and sells ethically sourced materials with a traceable social and environmental impact. It currently engages over 2,000 previously marginalised waste collectors and sells over 2,000 metric tons fairly sourced recycled […]

By Amélie Baudot, General Counsel and Company Secretary Blended finance has been successful in large and, often very costly, transactions (an OECD report that used Convergence data stated the median blended finance deal is $56 million, and only 3% of deals are below $5 million) but it’s also a great tool for smaller investments. With […]

Our CEO Alix Zwane was delighted to speak at the Commonwealth Innovation Open Day alongside Commonwealth Secretary-General, Baroness Patricia Scotland. The inaugural event showcased novel initiatives and tools to support member states, including the Commonwealth Innovation Fund. Launched by Alix Zwane and Baroness Scotland at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2018, the Commonwealth […]

GIF is excited to announce a $500,000 investment in Drinkwell, a social enterprise aiming to provide access to affordable and clean drinking water for millions of underserved urban customers for the first time. Through Water ATM-enabled systems Drinkwell’s solution has the potential to improve the lives of low-income urban slumdwellers in Bangladesh where there is […]

By Joseph Ssentongo Over half of GIF’s portfolio of innovations (25/40) are based on the African continent totalling $44m worth of grants and risk capital investments. We have partnered with these organisations whilst placing evidence at the core of our model, aligning on vision of success and ensuring there is key additionality to our funds.  […]

By Taniya Bajaj, Malcolm Spence and Madeleine Eastwood  The global learning crisis  The 2018 World Development Report warned of a global learning crisis. More children than ever are enrolling and attending school, but for too many children turning up at school does not translate to meaningful learning. In rural India, for example, enrolment rates exceed […]