Every once in a while you get an opportunity to walk in the presence of angels. I recently experienced one of those moments at a luncheon my husband and I hosted for Nobel Peace Laureate, Professor Muhammad Yunus - the venerable economist and microfinance guru from Bangladesh. Though I don't live under a rock, and have been aware of Dr. Yunus' amazing work for some time, listening to him speak again simply reinforced my belief in miracles. This is a man who is changing the world -- boldly, stridently, peacefully, simply, in tiny bits, one micro-loan at a time.
Dr. Yunus eloquently recounted the story of the inception of the Grameen bank -- the bank he and a few like-minded friends formed in Bangladesh to rectify what he saw first-hand as an undeniable discrepancy in the economic pecking order. Yunus realized that banks did not lend money to the people who really need it - the desperately poor. He decided to do something about it. "It's not people who aren't credit-worthy," he said, "It's banks that aren't people-worthy." So, he dug into his own pocket and began to make small loans -- extremely tiny loans -- without collateral, lawyers, or paperwork, to Bangladesh's poorest citizens. His first foray into micro-finance amounted to his giving $27 to each of 47 people, which essentially allowed these individuals to pay off their debts and be free. Free of debt -- free to get on with the business of becoming economically independent. What a concept.
Dr. Yunus has reached a kind of Brothers Grimm fairytale status. While in childhood fairytales, it was Rumpelstiltskin who wove straw into gold; in real life Dr. Muhammad Yunus spun twenty-seven dollars into billions. His ideas and programs have helped transform the lives of some of the poorest communities on the planet. The Grameen bank he founded now has about 7 million poor borrowers. The idea of micro credit has been replicated in over 100 countries. The people who receive these loans, and by the way, 94% of them are women, use the money to raise themselves and their families out of devastating poverty. 98% of these desperately poor people pay their loans back. Yunus has seen life-altering progress. He told us about a woman who, upon receiving her tiny loan -- called him an angel. He said, "If I can be an angel to someone by giving them $27, then think what I could do with $50!"
Dr. Yunus is a man who dreams big, and asks only that we dream big with him. He encourages entrepreneurs to wrap their heads around some of the most fundamental problems facing society -- poverty, obviously being one of them -- and to come up with creative, out-of-the-box social solutions. An example of such expanded thinking is his new Social Business Enterprise platform that he's rolling out with several companies, including DANONE foods. This particularly innovative collaboration plans to build very small community-centered yogurt factories in impoverished neighborhoods. It must be small so that local animals can be used, and so that transportation and refrigeration are minimized. The goal is for the children of the community to receive healthy yogurt to eat. As I mentioned before, Dr. Yunus isn't averse to dreaming big -- he has even asked the research and development team of DANONE Foods to come up with an edible cup to hold the yogurt. "These poor people shouldn't spend their limited resources on something they must throw away, so the cup the yogurt comes in must be edible, and nutritious too."
Throughout his talk, Dr. Yunus glowed with enthusiasm and optimism, and was an inspiration to us all. He is clearly energized by the changes he has helped bring about, and by the possibilities that still exist. We would be wise to follow the Professor's lead. As the assembled lunch guests listened to Dr. Yunus describe his vision to eradicate poverty in our lifetime, I think we all knew we were in the presence of an angel. And since it feels very good to be around someone like that, most of us are ready to follow him wherever he goes.
Follow Cheryl Saban Ph.D. on Twitter: www.twitter.com/csaban
http://tinyurl.com/yv6em7
Those come from Beatitudes, a form of angels. And this is what I am doing to help create a miracle: The International Blue Book Campaign to help rebuild New Orleans:
Carry “The Blue Book” called The Beatitudes.
Imagine this: the great seeing eye camera from Google Earth focuses in on a man and a woman and a child each carrying a blue book. It is The Beatitudes, the symbol of the written word; it is their signal to the world that words and books must be preserved and cherished so that humanity, good humanity, will continue to exist. The phenomenon captures the media….instead of a bracelet they CARRY A BOOK; THE BLUE BOOK CALLED THE BEATITUDES. Soon, thousands, no millions, carry the book in support of the written word. People are sending messages on cell phones, iPods….You, you, my friends have made THE difference.
*I am helping rebuild New Orleans, specifically the public libraries. I don’t have money, but I am giving three years of hard work and a published novel. AND ALL ROYALTIES. So you can help me help New Orleans? Simply buy the book for yourself and anyone you know who love New Orleans and likes to read! At amazon.com and see 5 star reviews!
Here is an excerpt from the supernatural novel, The Beatitudes, by Lyn LeJeune, now available at amazon.com and all booksellers around the world. I am DONATING ALL ROYALTIES to the New Orleans Public Library Foundation to help rebuild the public libraries of New Orleans. If you like what you read here, order the book, enjoy, and help NEW ORLEANS and the world.. (blog is www.beatitudesinneworleans.blogspot.com- come and join The Beatitudes Network – Rebuilding the Public Libraries of New Orleans) “BUY A BOOK, BUILD A LIBRARY,” AS QUOTED AT FREAKONOMICS, NEW YORK TIMES, 8/14/07.
Meantime, those like Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly and David Horowitz choose to spread hatred which feeds on the convenient scapegoat of the moment.
True. A differnet program might work in the US too.
Bangladesh is in a mess. I know several Bangladeshis living in the U.S. and Canada. Many of them want to go home but they cannot. Not only are there no jobs for them there, the country is getting worse from bad. Violence and crime has increased ten fold in the last decade.
The solution is not in "angels" but in good governance. The tragedy of the third world is not poverty but lack of ability to manage problems such as poverty and gender inequality. More than micro loans Bangladesh badly needs secondary educational institutions to educate children and adults.
The ability to solve basic probems comes not from "angels" but from systems managed by thousands of "ordinary" men. Which is why one angel at most can only have a very limited effect.
You might be very impressed by Yunus. But I know of thosands of Bangladeshis who would rather have good government enabling them to live rather than just survive.
I think it would be safe to say that Yunus has, because of his efforts and programs, saved many lives and vastly improved the quality of life of countless more. IMHO anyone who devotes his life to doing such things is in fact deserving of respect and admiration.
Yes, I am impressed by Yunus and I don't understand why anyone would not be.
Yes, until good governance becomes a reality in the undeveloped world, efforts like Dr. Yunus's are better than nothing. Individually, Dr. Yunus's model is worthy of imitation.
However, I just wanted everyone to be aware that howsover commendable such efforts are, they unfortunately do not make an appreciable difference to the larger society. Democracy continues to deteriorate in Bangladesh even as fanatical Isamists continue to increase their influence and make worse the overall chaos.
In that context, the overall condition of an average Bangladeshi has hardly improved. Dr. Yunus can serve the cause of his country (and that of many other developing nations), by bringing attention to the need of good governance which is the only long-term solution to real problems of the entire Indian sub-continent.
At one time I did beleive that individual attempts matter and do make a difference. I am not sure any more. Over the last three decades I have seen a lot of "angels" come and go while their countries continue to be mired in stagnancy.
For those that are interested, here are some good followup links:
http://www.grameenfoundation.org
http://www.teachablemoment.org/high/nobel.html
http://microfinancenetwork.typepad.com/blog/2007/03/danones_taste_f.html
While I thin k he's inspiring I would caution you against the "follow him wherever he goes" sentiment.
If I understand Yunus, part of his message is to think creatively for yourself, show fortitude, and have the self-discipline to succeed at small things first, larger things later. This is why his women borrowers have been so successful. They have displayed their willingness to work hard and be accountable. After all, Yunus only gave them money, he didn't tell them how to run their business. They had to figure that out themselves.
Many people with good visions have been undercut by having worshippers who adulated them but missed essential parts of the revolutionary message their hero was carrying.
And Yunus is a revolutionary in the sense that he is going to change society from the bottom up.
Don't get smitten by "angels" and miss the realities of what he is saying.
It makes one hope that each of these vile personalities that clog the media with hate are offset by someone like him.
Thank you for reminding me that there ARE some good people in this world.