Investing for Impact
We are the UK's development finance institution and impact investor, backed by the UK Government.
With over 75 years’ experience, we are a trusted investment partner to businesses in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. We invest to create productive, sustainable and inclusive economic outcomes for those that need our capital the most and who want to build better lives for themselves and their communities.
We currently partner with over 1,000 businesses, working with our investees to help them succeed and grow impactful businesses.
Latest episodes
May 12, 2016 • 8min
What does the future hold for investment in Africa?
What does the future hold for investment in Africa?
With 11 million people entering the labour market every year in Africa, investment is needed in order to provide jobs and opportunities for this expanding workforce. Added to that, the population is expected to continue to keep rising rapidly - with 2.2bn expected to live on the continent by 2030 - levels of investment need to be sustained now and into the future.
In this podcast, we hear from Adrienne Klasa, the Editor of the Financial Times' This is Africa, and Clarisa De Franco, the Portfolio Director of Africa Funds at CDC. We speak to them about the opportunities the continent holds for investors, as well
Five years ago, the Economist ran its now famous 'Africa Rising' cover story, which suggested the continent is destined for a future of strong economic growth - does this narrative still ring true?
Apr 1, 2016 • 9min
How can we better support women's economic empowerment?
Although progress is being made in supporting women's economic empowerment, there is still a great deal of work to be done.
Initiatives like the United Nations panel, International Women's Day and improving access to financial services have made an impact but where can improvements be made?
In this podcast we explore some of the barriers standing in the way of closing the gender gap and look at how they can be overcome. We speak to journalist Elizabeth Matsangou, CDC's Arpita Raksit and Yvonne Katamba, a woman in Uganda who successfully set up her own business with financial support from a bank.
