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[wakingdream]

I saw an interview with the Nobel Peace price winner Muhammad Yunus who I think is a phenomenal human. He explained how he was teaching at a University in Bangladesh and continuously walking by people that were literally starving to death and no one would help them, just keep walking by.

He wondered how he could help so he began speaking with many of these people.....

Eventually he founded a bank (1983 I think) and starting lending money to people in need.

He says giving money over does not preserve people's dignity and pride and he wanted to really help, not just slap a bandage over the situation. I think many of us share this same opinion.

Previous Bangers banks had less than 1% of woman as clients/borrowers.
He has over 87% of female clients now and his initial goal was at least 50%.
He said it was tough to convince the women to even deal with money as their husbands were the ones who dealt with money in the past. Many had never touched money before.

Muhammad Yunus

For some inspiration, check out the site. He truly is amazing person doing great things to alleviate poverty in Bangladesh and empower the poor. He has said poverty in the country is already beginning to drop rapidly....

I think of big, bad, corporations where profit comes first before anything and I shudder...

[starlagurl]

Yeah, I have heard of this idea too, microfinance I think it's called. It completely goes against all conventional ideas of money lending. It seems to me to be pulled straight out of the bible.

For example:
God told the Israelites, “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest” (Exodus 22:25)