By Amit Gupta (graduate student, Indian School of Business) and Kumar Vijay Mishra (graduate student, Colorado State University)

By Frank Pichel (International Land Systems) and Joseph Okyere (Opportunity International Savings and Loans Limited)

In his groundbreaking book, The Mystery of Capital, Dr. Hernando DeSoto studies the causes of poverty worldwide, highlighting the fact that the majority of citizens in the developing world hold an informal title to land as a common theme. Dr. DeSoto goes on to state:

By Abisheg Elijah (graduate student, XLRI School of Business in India)

By Madlen Massarlian

The Pan Himalayan Grassroots Development Foundation, based in the hills of Uttaranchal, India, focuses on improving the quality of life for the rural communities of India. The organization’s firm belief is to build initiative and sustainability at the grassroots level by teaching villagers how to use the resources available to improve their lives.

By Monica Touesnard, Managing Director, BoP Learning Lab

(This article is also posted on www.NextBillion.org)

By Nitin Rao

By Geoffrey (Kok Heng) See

The Context:

By Shaila Parikh

When I threw down the 200 bidis — hand-rolled Indian cigarettes — they gasped. “Every time you sit in front of your open flame cooking stove,” I motioned to them, “it’s like you are smoking 200 bidis.” They were all shocked; the audience of 40 women and children fell silent.