| on 20-11-2008 16:25
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Published in : , Misc |
 by Peter McDermott
illustration by Rostislav Kotil illustration colors by Peter Holland  Name: Muhammad Yunus
Born: 29 June 1940
Profession: Banker and economist; founder of the Grameen Bank.
Accomplishment: Established viability of microcredit.
Nationality: Bangladeshi
→ Philanthropy: 10/10
Microcredit allows lending of very small loans, enabling extremely poor entrepreneurs to start small businesses. As of July 2007, Grameen Bank had lent US $6.38 billion to 7.4 million borrowers, 94 percent of which were women.
→ Extremism: 1/10
Many thought it impossible: lending money to those who, based on the classic finance system, would never be considered for a loan, yet with careful support, the bank is repaid in almost all cases.
→ Guilt Factor: 0/10
Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006; in philanthropic and in economic circles he’s a hero. We have no dirt on this guy... yet.
→ Mythology / Mythbusters: 5/10
The Bangladeshi Robin Hood.
→ Inspiration to Others: 10/10
His organization has inspired many other similar institutions worldwide (including in the US), using finance to improve living standards of the extremely poor.
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(0 vote)