Business and poverty may not seem the easiest of bedfellows. But as the 2015 expiry date for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) fast approaches, and extreme poverty remains a serious problem, business must be part of the mix to boost the prosperity of the poorest communities.
To mark the launch of a new series of content exploring the role of business in development, we've put together a selection of tweeters to follow. Of course, there will be plenty of excellent tweeters missing so please add your suggestions in the comments below.
@OutofPoverty
The Twitter account of Paul Polak and team. Polak founded Windhorse International, a for-profit social organisation to provide innovative goods and services for billion on less than $1 a day.
@FightPoverty
With the tagline "the world's largest community of professionals passionate about harnessing business for social impact", Business Fights Poverty aims to help scale up innovations for the poorest populations.
@dlightdesign
The San Francisco social enterprise provides lighting solutions for families without access to electricity. It's teamed up with Total to sell solar lights to low-income families.
@JeffDSachs
Jeffrey Sachs is a rock star economist, director of the Earth Institute at Colombia University and the UN Sustainable Developments Solutions Network. He's special advisor to Ban Ki-moon on the MDGs, author of three New York Times bestsellers on poverty and development and a friend to Bono and Angelina Jolie.
@hapinoy
This cheerful twitter account belongs to Filipino company Hapinoy, set up by young entrepreneurs Bam Aquino and Mark Ruiz. Partnering with a microfinance organisation, Hapinoy has created an inclusive, last mile distribution system for the many tiny "sari-sari" stores in the Philippines.
@DFID_UK
The UK's Department for International Development works to end extreme poverty by creating jobs, pushing for women's rights and assisting with humanitarian crises.
@dambisamoyo
An international economist who focuses on developing countries, international business and the global economy, she's the author of Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa.
@GrameenFdn
The Grameen Foundation aims to help the world's poorest people, especially women, gain access to financial services.
@rajshah
The man who makes Barack Obama feel like an underachiever, Raj Shah is the administrator for the US Agency for International Development and focuses on ending extreme poverty through a partnership of government, private sector, scientists and faith groups.
@OxfamAmerica
The NGO believes it's essential to engage with the private sector to pull people out of extreme poverty and help developing countries open their doors to trade and investment.
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