Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty

by Muhammad Yunus, Alan Jolis, Ray Porter (Narrator)

Muhammad Yunus is that rare thing: a bona fide visionary. His dream is the total eradication of poverty from the world. In 1983, against the advice of banking and government officials, Yunus established Grameen, a bank devoted to providing the poorest of Bangladesh with minuscule loans. Grameen Bank, based on the belief that credit is a basic human right, not the privilege of a fortunate few, now provides over 2.5 billion dollars of micro-loans to more than two million families in rural Bangladesh. Ninety-four percent of Yunus's clients are women, and repayment rates are near 100 percent. Around the world, micro-lending programs inspired by Grameen are blossoming, with more than three hundred programs established in the United States alone.

Banker to the Poor is Muhammad Yunus's memoir of how he decided to change his life in order to help the world's poor. In it he traces the intellectual and spiritual journey that led him to fundamentally rethink the economic relationship between rich and poor, and the challenges he and his colleagues faced in founding Grameen. He also provides wise, hopeful guidance for anyone who would like to join him in "putting homelessness and destitution in a museum so that one day our children will visit it and ask how we could have allowed such a terrible thing to go on for so long." The definitive history of micro-credit direct from the man that conceived of it, Banker to the Poor is necessary and inspirational reading for anyone interested in economics, public policy, philanthropy, social history, and business.

Muhammad Yunus was born in Bangladesh and earned his Ph.D. in economics in the United States at Vanderbilt University, where he was deeply influenced by the civil rights movement. He still lives in Bangladesh, and travels widely around the world on behalf of Grameen Bank and the concept of micro-credit.

Genres: Economics, Nonfiction, Business, Finance, Politics, Poverty, Biography

289 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Dr. Muhammad Yunus is a Bangladeshi banker and economist. He previously was a professor of economics and is famous for his successful application of microcredit--the extension of small loans given to entrepreneurs too poor to qualify for traditional bank loans. Dr. Yunus is also the founder of Grameen Bank. In 2006, Yunus and the bank were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize "for their efforts to create economic and social development from below." He has also received several other national and international honors. Dr. Yunus is one of the founding members of Global Elders, a group of public figures noted as elder statesmen, peace activists, and human rights advocates whose goal is to solve global problems by using "almost 1,000 years of collective experience" to work on solutions for seemingly insurmountable problems like climate change, HIV/AIDS, and poverty, and "use their political independence to help resolve some of the world's most intractable conflicts."

Reviews

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muhammad Yunus and I are best friends. (Oops, I had to double check, and I'd spelled "Muhammad" wrong. Sorry, buddy!)

Anyways, me and Mr. Yunus are best friends because once he spoke at the library in Salt Lake City, and when I heard about it I drove down and sat shyly on the back row of the auditorium and clapped really hard for him. Then after it was all over, I saw him just kind of hanging out all alone on the stage, and thought, "Maybe I could go and meet him and we could be best friends!" So I went down and said, "Mr. Muhammad Yunus, I just think you are the greatest guy in the whole world and I love you!!" Then he goes, "Oh, thank you!" and he HUGS ME! I have hugged Mr. Yunus. (Or, I guess, he has hugged me.) That's why we are best friends.

Then, like the next day (or maybe the same day), I went to the Stadium of Fire in Provo, UT, and he was one of the honored people of the Freedom Festival and got an award on stage in front of millions (or thousands) of people! And I yelled "Hey buddy!" and he waved in my general direction. That's the story of our friendship.

So anyways, the reason why he is so cool is this: he is the guy who started the whole idea of micro credit, where he would give very small loans (like, $2) to poor women who would then start their own business, rise above generations and generations of poverty, and save the world. He set up the most amazing programs with groups of women, and has the highest repayment percentage in like, the entire world. His program grows and grows and grows and helps woman and families all over the place. (When the LDS church started up the Perpetual Education Fund, I thought, "HEY! That's totally just like Muhammad's idea. Maybe President Hinckley read his book, too!")

Oh, and it all started in his native Bangladesh. There is some website where you can do micro loans with your own money. My sister sent it to me once after I made her read this book. I invited her to see Muhammad Yunus in SLC, but she declined, and so she is not his friend. But, she might have that website still.

Banker to the Poor is a cool book. Read it.

[Sleepless Dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

While building my schedule for next year, my goal was to take as few economics courses as possible. After a year of studying economics, I can't help but feel that economic theories are far from real life problems (and yeah okay, I know that real life economics is different from what we study in uni but still). Economics seems miles away from real life. 

Mohammad Yunus, a Bengali Economics professor has the exact same feeling when he realizes his lectures are a world away from the poverty of Bangladesh. He walks around a village near his university and sees that the poor people of the village work incredibly hard and yet remain poor due to their dependence on others. Many of them are stuck in a poverty trap. He realizes that their lack of capital stops them from being able to earn more money and leave poverty. 

And so, Yunus decides to create a bank that focuses on lending money to the poor. The idea is that through a relatively small amount of money, poor people can use their existing skills and break out of the poverty trap. With some capital, they can begin a business and start earning money independently. 

This was an eye opening book for me. We read Elizabeth Anderson's work this year and discussed the way huge capitalist firms aren't liberal. When Adam Smith was writing about that pin factory, he wasn't talking about Amazon or Google. However, he very much was talking about a Bengali woman making fabric. By giving these people a loan, Yunus effectively liberates them. It's totally the division of labor, the professional specialization that Adam Smith speaks of.

And it's fascinating because who would have thought the answer to poverty could be "everyone should be a freelancer!". I'm used to thinking about self-employment as a risky move that can leave you in a very shaky financial situation but Yunus shows that for the poor of Bangladesh (and other places), self-employment allows them to use their skills and potential in the best way. 

It also brings a question to the table. Elizabeth Anderson writes about the process that the West went through in order to switch from small scale liberalism to large scale capitalism. If Yunus' bank continues, will the same happen in Bangladesh? Is large scale capitalism a natural continuation of a business? A Bengali woman opens a fabric store, if she's successful, she will have to hire more people and well, with enough luck, she'll become a massive business. Is this what we want?

The alternative of working for someone like that also isn't great (as Elizabeth Anderson shows), are these our only options? When alleviating poverty, are we trying to replicate the success of the West or is there room to consider alternative economic systems? 

There's a moment where Yunus says economics sees the world as employees and employers but simply ignores the self-employed. This is a problem because places like Bangladesh actually have a lot of poor people who are self-employed but lack capital to truly make a decent profit. This was another one of those aha moments because our economics focus is so Western. We can't take a theory that works mathematically and attempt to force it onto countries if they don't have the same premises at play. Our solutions have to fit the problems. As a Bengali economist, Yunus is able to make them fit. 

Yunus heavily criticizes programs that attempt to teach the poor new skills. He claims the poor already have all they need in order to succeed. They don't need handouts or long training sessions. By giving them a loan, they are held accountable. It's not charity, they have a stake in returning it. This keeps their dignity and allows them to succeed on their own terms. 

I loved how Yunus describes the importance of organizations that are both for profit and for social improvement. The finance world needs to make room for social enterprises that manage to make a profit but also change the world for the better. It's both. This is something I'd like to remember next year when I start studying Business.  

Man, there's so much that I found inspirational in this book. Yunus' bank was a grassroots initiative. Yunus and his team of students built this alone. Unlike banks chasing for money, Yunus focused on creating a community. My bank hasn't communicated with me in months but here's Yunus and his committed team helping their loaners with everything from education to life skills. 

I loved hearing how this idea worked in Western countries as well. Hearing about the application of it in the USA and in Norway was especially interesting. 

To conclude, I'm still going to avoid Econ courses but I've definitely been more bitter about Econ than it deserves. I want to take these ideas with me because it's just so cool that this bank built a bridge between economic theory and economic practice, that Yunus managed to make banking sound interesting. 

What I'm Taking With Me
- My mental image of banking is pretty much Mary Poppins so I might be wrong about it.
- Yunus seems like such a nice guy, I'm so glad this is working and I hope he continues to make the world a better place.
- I loved learning how they dealt with religious leaders during the establishment of the banks and how the focus is on women. Like heck yeah, it's really changing the entire society.
- Next year when I'll be staring at graphs and crying, I want to remember that economics really can make people's lives better. 
- Can we all be entrepreneurs? What if some people are just bad at managing a business? Is a loan (even a small one) helpful for everyone? 

---------------------------------
“Economics must show that a market economy does not necessarily have to be a playground for "bloodthirsty" capitalists; it can be a challenging field for all good people who want to pilot the world in the right direction.”

This book just singlehandedly renewed my faith in economics. Review to come!

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

After finishing this book, I wanted to shout, "Yeah! Preach it, brother!"

Really cool book. Yunus won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for his decades of work. He is an academic who roles up his sleeves and produces something practical. His book should be embraced by Christians, conservatives, liberals, libertarians, and Dave Ramsey.

[Maziyar Yf · Rating 4 out of 5]

محمد یونس استاد دانشگاه و اقتصاد دان بنگلادشی ایست که به خاطر ایده وام های خُرد و تلاش برای گسترش مفاهیمی مانند سرمایه گذاری خُرد و یا اعتبار دهی خُرد به شهرت جهانی رسید ، او پایه گذار بانک گرامین در بنگلادش بوده ، بانکی که بر اساس مفهوم ابداعی دکتر یونس و با واگذاری وام های خُرد به فقرا و محروم ترین قشر جامعه بنیان گرفت و گسترش یافت . او در سال 2006 برنده جایزه صلح نوبل و چندین جایزه و عنوان جهانی و معتبر شد ، او با وام های کوچک خود سهم بسیاری در کاهش فقر در میان میلیونها زن فقیر ابتدا در بنگلادش و سپس درکشورهای محروم و در حال توسعه و حتی کشورهای پیشرفته و ثروتمند داشته است .
دکتر یونس با هوشمندی اولویت واگذاری وام را به دلیل نقش کلیدی زنان در خانواده ، بهداشت و آموزش را به زنان فقیر داده است ، او هنگام بازدید از روستاهای بسیار فقیر نزدیک دانشگاه خود با زنانی آشنا شد که در صورت داشتن سرمایه ای بسیار اندک ، قادر به تامین معاش و رفاه خانواده خود و در بلند مدت خارج شدن از خط فقر و حتی ایجاد فرصت های کار آفرینی بودند ، او از سرمایه خود مبلغ 27 دلار را به 42 نفر وام داد و با ابتکار و نوآوری و ایجاد هسته های همبستگی ، تعهدی قوی برای بازپرداخت وام ایجاد کرد .
پرفسور یونس آنگونه که در کتاب بانک تهیدستان شرح داده با گفت و گوبا مقامات مالی و دولت بنگلادش موفق به ایجاد صندوقی برای پرداخت وام در بانک جاناتا شد و سرانجام بانک گرامین بر مبنای ایده وام خُرد متولد شد ، به این گونه ایده ای که با 27 دلار و 42 زن شروع شد به سازمانی بزرگ منجر شد که میلیاردها دلار به میلیونها نفر وام داده است .
یکی دیگر از روشهای ابتکاری پرفسور یونس پیداکردن مکانیزم و روش جایگزین وثیقه معتبر و همین گونه پرکردن فرمهای طولانی برای روستاییان بی سواد بوده ، روشهای او از طرفی ترس روستاییان را در مواجهه با سیستم بانکی از بین برده و از طرفی دیگر توانایی های بالقوه آنان را شکوفا کرده است . (پرفسور یونس اعتقادی به کتاب فقر احمق می کند ندارد)
پرفسور یونس در طول کتاب بارها به موانع بوروکراسی دولتی و سیستم بانکی بنگلادش اشاره کرده که از نگاه او موجب کند شدن روند کار شده و از جهت دیگر وام و یا تسهیلات را به افراد شایسته اختصاص نمی دادند ، او به همین ترتیب داستان افرادی را بیان کرده که به کمک وام بانک گرامین به تدریج نه تنها از فقر خارج شده اند ، بلکه حتی در مواقعی کارگاهی هم ساخته و کارآفرین شده اند .
محمد یونس آرزوی دنیایی بدون فقر داشته و دارد ، او از کودکی در جست و جوی راه حلی بوده که با حفظ مقام انسانی فقرا به آنان کمک کرده و قشر ضعیف جامعه را از چرخه بهره کشی نجات دهد ، ایده های او در جهت گسترش وام های خُرد اگرچه مخالفانی داشته اما بدون شک پرفسور یونس و بانک گرامین در مبارزه بی امان با فقر و بهبود زندگی فقرا جایگاهی ممتاز در بنگلادش دارند .

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly an amazing book! I highly recommend this to anyone interested in development, poverty, or those wanting to learn about micro lending. He is truly an incredible man with a heart of infinite passion and hope. This book will stay in memory for quite some time.

[Riku Sayuj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended. A true must-read book.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book provides an informative overview of Grameen Bank and micro-lending, but I think that its argument in favor of micro-lending would be stronger if Yunus spent more time addressing the arguments of critics. Although some criticisms are mentioned briefly, Yunus brushes them off quickly. As one example, I think that Yunus far too quickly rejects the arguments that poor people living in the developed world would not benefit from micro-lending in the same ways as the poor of Bangladesh. I think that he seriously underestimates the different attitudes that poor Westerners have, especially in light of the fact that their poverty is generally much less extreme. Moreover, unlike the rural Bangladeshi poor who tend to have skills like basket-weaving, I am uncertain that the average poor American would have marketable skills that could be translated into income opportunities.

This book has a tendency to be preachy, and, in my view, becomes a little boring at times. Still, it is more accessible and readable than I would expect for a book about an economic idea. I think that Yunus' notion that worldwide poverty can be entirely eradicated through micro-lending is way off base. If mciro-lending is the means to end poverty, why does Bangladesh remain one of the poorest countries in the world? Yunus' idea that micro-lending could completely supplant the need for any safety net (including for health care) is, in my view, harmful and should properly be viewed as an ideology of the far right.

[Azwa Ahmad · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read a 20+ pages report written by a group of MBA students from Columbia Business School and it was as concise, succinctly put as this 200+ pages book on Grameen Bank/microcredit.

The importance of open access to resources is indispensable. Hence, I agree with Muhammad Yunus that the current financial system has inevitably, and is successful in sidelining the neediest, which eventually gives birth to the need to establish alternative institutions that work on social benefits as the underlying guidance in providing their services to the people. The establishment of the bank and many other replicators might seem to be successful in helping these people to break the poverty cycle, however exploitative forces still persist within the parameter. Labeling these people as the untapped resources and knowing how profitable they all are once tapped, lure the profiteers in. Consequently from this, we can see that the establishment itself has become counterproductive (not all however). It makes me think and feel extremely appalled by the greediness and the very fact on how destructive human beings can actually be. Besides, I too agree with the fact that Grameen Bank might be one of the solutions to poverty, not THE ultimate solution for it, taking into account that it could not make a dent on the national or even worldwide poverty crisis despite the fact that the program has a widespread reach.

Though it is noble in its very own values, I was disappointed with the insufficient details from the borrowers’ accounts on how microcredit has served and helped them to combat poverty. The mere statistically glorious achievements attained by Grameen Bank –with 90+% repayment rate, XX% borrowers managed to cross over the poverty line and whatnots – fail to quench the thirst I have in knowing what does microcredit really mean to the impoverished. Yunus stated that everybody should be seen as potential entrepreneurs and access to credit is vital for the people to realize this. Yet I hardly can see how successful the poor people are in transforming themselves from nobodies into entrepreneurs, thanks to the painfully brief ‘victorious’ stories written by Yunus. I was itching with curiosity to know the real, detailed stories from these people’s perspectives. How do they make do with the microcredit being lent to them? What lead them to engage in the business that they are doing? Is training really not necessary for these people?

Besides, there are things that Yunus had failed to mention in this book and one of those was the reasoning behind the creation of Grameen bank II, which I had come to know when I read the report I mention above –the operational crisis due to the 1995 boycott movement, 1998 floods and moral hazard that the classic Grameen model had inflicted upon the borrowers. In regard to this, I think that this book has been sugarcoated, with unaddressed crises and issues deepen my doubt about how successful Grameen Bank is beyond the statistical measures - on social ground that is.

[Sara Rastakhiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

واقعا واقعا واقعا جزو مفیدترین کتابایی بود که توی زندگیم خوندم و خوندنشو به همه پیشنهاد میدم.
one of the best books i have read! i recommend it to everyone!!!

[Mahdieh · Rating 5 out of 5]

تا پیش از این ماجراها از تدریس نظریه‌های اقتصادی به دانشجویانم بر سر شوق می‌آمدم؛ زیرا این نظریه‌ها باید همه مشکلات اجتماعی را حل می‌کرد. اما در سال ۱۹۷۴ خود نیز کم‌کم نسبت به سخنرانی‌های خود بی‌میل شدم. این نظریه‌ها چه سودی داشت وقتی مردم از گرسنگی تلف می‌شدند و من نمی‌توانستم کاری برای آن‌ها انجام دهم. درس‌های من مانند فیلم‌های امریکایی بود که در آخر فیلم، آدم‌های خوب پیروز می‌شوند. اما وقتی درس و دانشگاه را رها کردم تا بیشتر در میان این مردم باشم، با واقعیت‌های بسیاری مواجه شدم. در اینجا بود که دریافتم آدم‌های خوب بی‌رحمانه لگدمال می‌شوند. زندگی آن‌ها هر روز بدتر از دیروز می‌شد. فقرا نیز هر روز فقیرتر از قبل می‌شدند.

[Bunly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Yunus could prove it is possible to lift the poorest out of poverty. He could open eyes of bankers who stick with the idea that lending could happend only when collateral is secured. His experience ilustrates the private sector is not only for the greedy but also for social-minded individuals. I would recommend the book to anyone who wish for a poverty-free world.

[ashi]

6/5 stars

Muhammad Yunus is a once in a generation man. I paused at multiple times to make notes and reflect on self-evident truths on not just poverty alleviation, but also the nature of business operations and humanity at large. Excellent start to reading this year and intrigued to learn more about microcredit.

[emily nally]

dr. yunus is the coolest person to ever walk this earth - read this, watch him speak, and learn his brain :)

[E.T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 What an uplifting story ! Hats off to Muhammad Yunus.
कौन कहता है आसमां में सुराख नहीं हो सकता,
एक पत्थर तो तबियत से उछालो यारों
Amidst his disastrous campaign that for the 2014 Lok Sabha campaign Rahul Gandhi said something profound amidst all the nonsense :-
"A rising tide raises all boats, but you need a boat to rise with the tide. What does he who does not have a boat do ?"
This is the story of Nobel Laureate Yunus's Grameen Bank. The Grameen bank provides collateral-free loans to those who do not have a boat and who seem to be bound to a life of virtual slavery. It has perfected micro-credit by which it is sustainable (recovery rate of 98%) and doesnt depend on grants and charity. It has also pulled millions of people out of abject poverty by giving them the means to be self-employed. And it has also inspired many others in other countries to follow its model which have been largely successful too.
Having said that, I think Yunus over-rates self-employment like Mahatma Gandhi and our own MNREGA devised by Congress-led UPA. It can pull people out of poverty but it is not the complete solution for prosperity. Also, hard to concur with his views that state should step out of health and education and encourage social entrepreneurship. Or that population growth/density in Bangladesh and some other parts of the world is not a problem worth focusing on.
Will be reading more on the subject by Jeffrey Sach and others.

[Abdullah Alsrhani · Rating 5 out of 5]

.......في هذا الكتاب ستكتشف ان المشكلة ليست دائما في الفقر وإنما في الثقافة الصانعة للفقر
الكتاب يروي قصة تأسيس بنك جرامين(بنك الفقراء) لدكتور الاقتصاد محمد يونس الذي درس الأقتصاد في أمريكيا وحينما عاد للتدريس في إحدى
جامعات بنجلاديش في الفترة التي كانت المجاعة تضرب البلاد وأهلكت العباد. حينها شعر أنه لاجدوى من تدريس النظريات الإقتصادية لمجتمع يعاني من الفقر والجوع حيث لا أثر لتلك النظريات في حياة الناس.لذلك قرر النزول للشارع لتلمس حاجات النفس والبحث عن اسباب المجامعة وامكانية مساعدة الناس الاكثر فقرا. وأثناء التجول في المدينة إلتقي بآمرآه تصنع الكراسي من الخيزران وبعد التحدث معها اكتشف انها تكسب مبلغ زهيد جدا والسبب انها لاتملك المال الكافي لتشتري الخيزان لذلك تقترض من التاجر لتشتري الخيزان بشرط ان يشتري منها الكراسي بهذا المكسب الزهيد. بعدها
بدآت فكرة بنك الفقراء لمساعدة الناس بقروض بسيطة.

[Liana Dumitru · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read about the history of Grameen Bank and some other Grameen initiatives. Professor Yunus tells a compelling story about how Grameen came into being, making it at times personal, at times funny, at times critical, but always keeping an optimistic tone.

This book does not offer specific and in-depth explanations on the mechanisms of microcredit, nor does it provide a comprehensive analysis of its negative aspects. It is rather focused on its positive outcomes, and, more specifically, on a personal interpretation of how microcredit can transform the poor's lives.

Slightly interesting if you want to thoroughly understand microcredit. Great read if you are interested in Grameen and the story of its creation.

[Mazdak Paskeh · Rating 2 out of 5]

کتاب از زبان موسس، یه پروژه اقتصادی بزرگ رو توصیف میکنه، بانکی تو بنگلادش ( و بعدا سایر جاها) که به فقیرترین اقشار جامعه وام‌های خرد میده (اکثریت مطلق وام‌گیرنده‌ها زنان روستایی با بازپرداخت بالای 90 درصد) تا اونا بتونن از درآمد بیشتری برخوردار باشن و گویا تا حدود زیادی هم موفق بوده.
اما کتاب یه پراکنده‌گویی کلی از خاطرات و روندهای اداریه، نظم و ترتیب مشخصی نداره، توضیح نمیده مردم چطور از این وام‌های کوچک استفاده میکنن تا شرایطشون بهتر شه، چطور وام‌گیرنده‌ها سهامدارای عمده بانک هستند و ...
تنها جایی که از خاطرات حوصله‌بر خارج میشه و سعی میکنه فلسفه و فکر کارش رو توضیح بده هم ،با این که خودش رو بازارگرا میدونه و خیلی به ریشه‌ها نمیزنه، یه مفهوم موهومی به اسم "خودآگاهی اجتماعی" رو جایگزین منطق سود سرمایه‌داری میکنه که تخیلی‌تر از اونه که ارزش توجه خاصی داشته باشه.
ولی به عنوان یه تجربه که در نوع خودش موفق بوده و زندگی جمعیت زیادی رو بهتر از چیزی که بود کرده تو همین سیستم در طول چهل سال پروژه و ایده بسیار جالبیه و کتابی بسیار ضعیف برای معرفیش نوشته شده

[Nanto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baru mulai beberapa hari lalu bacanya dan langsung suka. Ekonomi yang terkenal sebagai "fisikanya ilmu sosial" ditangan Yunus berubah menjadi antropologi ekonomi. Ilmu yang sarat identik dengan asumsi nomethetik sebagai kacamata paradigmatiknya, di tangan Yunus dikemas menjadi sangat ideografis, sarat dengan muatan lokal melalui pendekatan kasuistik dan misi perubahan sosial.

Yah, Pak Yunus dengan sangat rendah hati telah mengubah dirinya dan lingkungan akademisnya untuk mau menjadi mahasiswa di depan kaum yang dianggap: nir-ketrampilan, ter-kutuk, malas, dan banyak lagi tudingan menara gading lainnya. Benar katanya, melalui beberapa bab yang terlewat, "Kaum miskin mengajarkan saya ilmu ekonomi yang sepenuhnya baru."

Senang membaca buku yang tadinya saya duga akan penuh dengan angka, tapi nyatanya sarat dengan pesan yang memperkaya hati. Tersentuh dengan Bapak-nya Yunus yang dengan sabar merawat ibunya yang terserang gangguan jiwa. Duh segala peri-gombal Gibran tumbang dengan perilaku Ayahnya Yunus itu.

Utang Baca makin banyaaaa...k! Tralala-tri li li

Update: 10 Juli 2008:

Sebenernya dah mau tamat. Namun masuk bagian soal dia memulai dan kemudian berhasil memetakan permasalahan kredit mikro yang terkait dengan problem sosio-kultural, konstruksi gender yang tidak berpihak pada solusi pengentasan kemiskinan, sekaligus agama, dengan juga tantangan dari pihak luar, kok malah jadi ribet. Ribet bukan karena paparannya, tapi bagaimana uraian Yunus yang naratif tidak mudah disarikan secara konseptual. Seperti cerita pola akunting yang operasional itu dikembangkan berdasarkan kejadian lapangan. Dan juga, cerita Yunus yang mencoba memperluas nasabah-nya melalui baliho atau papan tulisan. Namun, Yunus dalam ceritanya kemudian mengakui betapa ironisnya usaha itu. Ia lupa bahwa sebagian besar nasabahnya adalah perempuan buta huruf. Sehingga untuk lebih merengkuh nasabahnya yang sebagian besar perempuan yang modal utamanya adalah keinginan memperbaiki hidup diri dan anak-anaknya, ia harus menyambangi mereka di lingkungan mereka, dengan rintangan budaya setempat yang menerapkah purdah, hijab laki dan wanita.

Ceritanya mengalir. Namun kepala ini susah juga diajak bolak-balik buku konseptual dan buku cerita. Buku Yunus ini buku cerita buat saya, narasi kasus pendirian dan pengembangan Grameen Bank. Untuk itu saya lompat dahulu ke bagian penutup yang merupakan pidato Yunus ketika mendapatkan Hadiah Nobel. Pidato-nya merupakan ringkasan dari keseluruhan .

hehe Sementara bermain curang dulu yah...

*update 2 Agustus 2008*

Mulai mendapatkan ide kenapa di buku ini lebih bermain emosi daripada mekanime yang dikembangkan sama Yunus. Sebagai ekonom Yunus cukup rendah hati dengan mengedepankan pendekatan kasuistik dalam programnya agar setiap programnya selalu tepat sasaran, meski tetap menggunakan asumsi generalisasi (nomothetic) ala ilmu ekonomi. Karena toh diujungnya, ia juga mendorong enterprenerialisme yang berbasis sosial, melakukan usaha demi kebaikan. Sebuah ungkapan sederhana yang bila ditilik secara mendalam mengubah salah satu prinsip rasionalitas dalam ilmu ekonomi. Rasionalitas yang identik semangat memperbesar keuntungan pribadi diubah menjadi sebuah semangan altruisme sosial dalam dunia usaha. Saya sendiri masih menunggu operasionalisasi konsep Yunus itu.

Merapihkan review ini juga masih jadi hutang. Bila saya mengingat Yunus yang berbuat "baik" bagi kaum miskin di lingkungan sekitarnya, dan kemudian ditanya niatnya, dia toh menyatakan, "So one way, I try to kind of enlightened my frustration and agony by coming to the conclusion that I may not be useful as an economist, but I'm still a basic human being." Soal niat saya cuma inget cerita Kang Harry Roesli ketika ditanya kenapa dia membantu pengamen dan anak jalanan, jawabannya adalah mencegah mereka yang hidupnya keras di jalan dari menjadi kriminal di besarnya nanti. Karena mencegah mereka menjadi kriminal adalah memberi lingkungan sosial yang leih baik bagi anaknya yang seumuran dengan pengamen dan anak jalanan itu.

Ketika mendengar Yunus bicara tentang niatnya, saya berkesimpulan, berbuat baik itu pun bukan sebuah heroisme atau altruisme yang berlebihan. Berbuat baik itu tidak lebih adalah demi egoisme pribadi si pelaku. Bagi Yunus adalah meredakan rasa frustasinya, bagi Kang Harry menolong anak jalanan adalah menciptakan lingkungan sosial yang baik bagi anaknya bila kelak dewasa. Menolong orang lain tak lebih dari menolong diri sendiri. Egoisme yang oleh Yunus ingin dikembangkan dalam konsep social bussines.

[محمد احمد حسن · Rating 5 out of 5]

(عالم بلا فقر ) حلم جميل يسعى الى تحقيقه كل المصلحين والقادة الاجتماعيين فى العالم ولكن القليل منهم فقط استطاع ان يخطو خطوات جادة فى هذا الحلم
ومن بين هؤلاء محمد يونس استاذ الاقتصاد بجامعة شيتاجونج ببنجلاديش الذى يروى تجربته فى انشاء بنك الفقراء (جرامين فى هذا الكتاب الهام الصادر عن مكتبة الاسرة
يبدأ يونس فى سرده لقصة انشاء البنك من عام 1974 عندما حدثت مجاعة كبرى فى بلاده وصدم لرؤية الجوعى على الارصفة ومداخل المبانى ممادفعه لان يسأل نفسه (مالعلاقة بين النظريات الاقتصادية التى ادرسها للطلاب ) و مأساة هؤلاء الجوعى )
فقرر حل مشكلة الفقر عن طريق عمل دراسة اقتصادية لسكان قرية جوبرا بمقاطعة شيتاجونج لامكانية زراعة محاصيل اكثر انتاجية بالقرية لسد حاجة القرية من الغذاء مماجعله ينفذ برنامجا اسمه البرنامج ثلاثى الحصص لزراعة المحاصيل غزيرة الانتاج كالارز و غيره ولكنه اكتشف خلال عمله فى هذا البرنامج وجود عدة مأسى اجتماعية حيث توجد نساء فقيرات يعملن فى درس الارز (اى فصل الارز عن القش ) بمجرد ان ينتهى موسم الارز فانهن يعدن للفقر و التسول مرة اخرى و فى الوقت ذاته التقى بسيدة فقيرة بالقرية تدعى صفية بيجوم تعمل بصناعة كراسى الخيزران سألها عن مكسبها فقالت له انها تكسب مايجعلها تعيش فقط هى واولادها على حد الكفاف وان من يقرضها المال يقرضها المبالغ بشرط ان تردها له مضاعفة وان يأخذ انتاجها ليبيعه لحسابه
و كانت تلك مشكلة الكثير من نساء القرية ففكر فى وسيلة تنقذ تلك النساء الفقيرات من سطوة المرابين
فقرر ان يقرضهن قروضا ميسرة يمكن سدادها على فترة اطول و بفائدة قليلة جدا فذهب الى احد البنوك لكى يقدم تلك القروض للفقراء فرفض البنك ذلك معللا ان الفقراء اميون ولا يستطيعون اجادة المعاملات البنكية فقرر يونس ان يكون الضامن لتلك القروض
وبعد فترة تيقن يونس ان 98% من سكان القرية الفقراء كانوا احرص على سداد القروض فى موعدها
الامر الذى دفع يونس الى عمل هيكل مؤسسى لمبادرته تلك فقرر الاتفاق مع احد البنوك على فتح فرع له فى جوبرا باسم (جرامين ) اى (القروى ) فى لغة بنجلاديش و كان ذلك فى يناير 1976 و قرر يونس ان تكون اليات السداد فى هذا البنك على عكس البنوك التقليدية بحيث يستطيع المقترض سداد القروض على دفعات صغيرة جدا طوال العام بعكس البنوك الكبرى التى تطلب سداد دفعات اجمالية من القرض مما يسبب عبئا نفسيا وكانت اليات السداد كالتالى
مدة القرض سنة واحدة و معدل سداد القرض 2 تاكا عن كل 1000 تاكا و معدل الفائدة 20 % فقط

ويشترط لاعطاء القرض ان يتم تكوين مجموعة من 5 افراد يقدمون مشروعا معينا ينوون عمله لاعطاءهم القرض على اساسه

وساهم المشروع فى تغيير حياة كثير من نساء القرية اللاتى كن يعانين من الفقر بسبب عدم وجود مورد رزق لهم

ولكن لكل مشروع اعداؤه فمن المصرفيين الذى سخروا من تجربة يونس الى رجال الدين ذوى الفهم المشوش و المتطرف وضيق الافق للاسلام الذين زعموا للسيدات ان جرامين هذا مؤامرة اجنبيه لافساد نساء بنجلاديش وتوعدهم لنساء القرية بانهن لن يتم دفنهن دفنا اسلاميا اذا خذن قروضا من جرامين فما كان من النساء الا ان رفضن ادعاءات هؤلاء المتطرفين و اصررن على اخذ قروض من البنك لادراكهن انه المخرج الوحيد لهن من حياة الفقر و الذل

وفى عام 1982 افتتح رسميا بنك جرامين و توسعت خدماته لتشمل دولا عديدة كالفلبين و ماليزيا بل وحتى الولايات المتحدة نفسها

وفى ذلك الكتاب ايضا يروى يونس جانبا من طفولته وصباه و دراسته الجامعية بامريكا و قيامه بالعمل السياسى من اجل استقلال بنجلاديش التى كانت تسمة باكستان الشرقية عن باكستان الغربية

لقد استطاع محمد يونس ان يجعل المثل الصينى ( لاتطعمنى سمكة ولكن اعطنى سنارة ) حقيقة ملموسة على ارض الواقع و نتمنى ان يكون هذا هو تفكير كل القيادات التنفيذية فى بلادنا العربية بدلا من التفكير بالفقراء بوصفهم كائنات تستحق الصدقة فالفقراء من الممكن ان يكونوا عناصر انتاجية مفيدة بدلا من ان يكونوا عبئا على المجتمع والدولة و هو مابرهنت عليه تجربة بنك جرامين

[آية · Rating 3 out of 5]

Muhammad Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in advocating for microcredit and helping several people living in extreme poverty, both in his home country of Bangladesh and around the world.
Besides the first few chapters that give an autobiographical background of Yunus’s childhood and education, the rest of the book basically describes the Grameen system: how Yunus founded it, how its banks operate, its evolution throughout the years, and its mission both in Bangladesh and in other “third” and “first” world countries.
[I do like some things in it...but...]
From what I understood, Grameen serves poorer populations by giving micro-credit and micro-loans (literally loans of a few dollars at a time) to those who would not qualify for normal loans from normal banks. Yunus cites several examples of struggling clients who, after borrowing between 2-20 dollars, were able to successfully launch their own businesses (such as hand-weaving baskets and selling them door-to-door in villages) and thus break the cycle of abusive relationships with moneylenders who charged high interest rates.
Based on the cited statistics, it seems like Grameen undoubtedly helped several people living in extreme poverty. But there is just something that I am very uneasy about: it charges interest to its borrowers. Riba is a completely un-Islamic concept, and while I don’t want to minimize the possible benefit Grameen has for those suffering from even higher debts and interest rates, I simply can’t justify the fact that it profits off of those very people. A few times, Yunus is even proud to give examples of people who have relied on Grameen loans for decades—but shouldn’t that be opposite goal of a program that wants to give disadvantaged people the means to financial independence?
Yunus even criticized “conservative” Muslims who viewed Grameen negatively without ever explicating what these Muslims’ issues were. He is clearly a very creative entrepreneur with a solid understanding of business and economics. He had to bypass so many practices in order to build Grameen. Wouldn’t it be possible to create an equally productive system without the riba?

[Pratishtha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book like this should be read by everyone. I believe, they should put this in school curriculum so as to teach kids about - social-conciousness as a motivational force. As kids, we once always dream about growing up and changing the world for better. Unfortunately, so called practicality and rationality makes us leave all such thoughts and work for ourselves.

This book provides a real-life example of how one man's wish to lift the poorest out of the poverty and that too, not by doing something for them but rather making it possible for them to do something for themselves, can change lives of so many people. Muhammad Yunus has shown us that one person at a time can actually make a difference. The instances he has described makes you wonder about the liberating force that credit has when given to the poor.

For me, this is a book more about courage and determination than on economics or microfinance. As he mentions in the book, We need to learn from the real world. And the real world is just outside the classrooms. It is everywhere outside the classrooms. May we find our courage, and may we have more like him!

[PDXReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has much in common with Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time. In it, Mohammad Yunus seeks to alleviate poverty one person at a time, with micro-loans. It's a fascinating look at how the system works, and the enterprise's founding and history were equally absorbing. Like Three Cups of Tea, however, the writing is just so-so. Yunus comes across as a bit self-righteous and a bit pedantic, and the writing at times is repetitive. Overall it's an interesting and valuable book, though, and I was very glad that I'd read it.

[Alex Perdiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a year like this (2020) we´ve had a perfect example of why social businesses are vital for our society and our future.

Yunus is an extremely inspiring person and he points out the importance of helping others and the possibility of making a living off of it.

His take on enterpreneuship is really interesting and he´s truly a role model for the next generation of enterpreneurs that want to make a positive impact in the world.

"As we look into the future, Leaders will be those that empower others." - Bill Gates

[Maria Gurina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of the Grameen Bank is truly fascinating. Before reading this book, I didn’t realize how little I knew about Bangladesh and the extreme poverty that so many people face there. While Ukraine also has its share of economic challenges, the depth of poverty described in this book is on a completely different level, which was eye-opening.

What impressed me most was the author’s innovative approach to providing credit to the poor. The idea of microcredit—offering loans to those who have nothing—seemed impossible at first, but the way it was implemented by Grameen Bank is truly inspiring. It reshaped my understanding of how empowering people, even those in the worst conditions, can lead to profound social and economic change.

[LeeTravelGoddess · Rating 5 out of 5]

what a man & what a heart!!!

[اویس قرنی · Rating 4 out of 5]

تجربه نگاری آقای محمد یونس در ایجاد بانک گرامین -با هدف پرداخت وام های خرد به محرومین در بنگلادش - است. خواندنی است. کتاب و موضوع ارزشمندی است.
توصیه میشود.

[Shivani Chokshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most important books I’ve ever read. Truly eye-opening.

[Renu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes, all we need is a little light to escape the tragedy of life. The matter of money is one bitter medicine to swallow but is the key to bandaging almost all the tragedy of life. Before reading this book, I was oblivion to the impact of micro-credit on the lives of the poor. In fact, it is my first economics-related book, and already my favourite one.

Through his real-life stories, the author gives a glimpse of the micro-credit impact on the lives of the disadvantaged. One of the stories that are still stuck with me is of a Bangladeshi woman whose life, series after series, went through the ruthlessness of fate.

Her tragic life was the life of every impoverished woman in the developing nation. Grameen Banks's model of micro-crediting has helped many such women to uplift their conditions. A true model for instigating women's empowerment through financial independence.

No matter how noble are the motives, no one can escape the eyes of ignorance. The employees at Grameen Banks were sometimes threatened, other times thrashed for simply opening their project in the village. They had to work their way through Purdah Pratha and fatwah to convince and douse the curiosity of the women borrowers.

Orthodox society might find it hard to accept changes in the "tradition". But, the educated bureaucracy who once doubted the success of this new venture, later tried taking credit for its success, proving the author's point, the poor never flee after crediting a loan, the rich do!

Earlier, the marginalised population didn't have access to open bank accounts, let alone take credit from the banks. Loans from the banks were for riches, not for the poor. These marginalised folks further sank deep into the debts of moneylenders. Micro-crediting, which granted a loan at low interest and had the option of weekly instalments, were a feasibly and comfortable bet for landless borrowers.

The Grameen Bank model was adapted by many developing and developed countries alike. People from developed nations benefited immensely from this micro-crediting system too. The biggest strength of this model was that the community were accountable.

When I used to hear the word, Economics, I would suddenly think of large numbers and mathematical symbols. Perhaps because we are not taught economics unless shown particular interest in it. Even, the pedagogy of economics involves big numbers-- It was again for the riches, not for the poor.

I am now more intrigued by the idea of social entrepreneurship. It is an impactful way to bring changes to the masses while still funding themselves from their profits. Definitely, an eye-opener read.

[Helena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read especially during my visit to Kenya where I’ve visited a micro finance bank! More on the book here: https://helenaroth.com/banker-to-the-...

[Donovan Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to Eliminate Poverty

This weekend I attended the Bottom Billions | Bottom Line Conference hosted by Seattle Pacific University’s Center for Integrity in Business. The event served as a convergence zone between business, nonprofit organizations, and the academy seeking to better understand ways that business can help alleviate world poverty.

Of the many interesting subjects discussed at the conference, the topic of microfinance seemed to continuously echo through my head. For those unfamiliar with the term, microfinance occurs when banks or nonprofit organizations loan small amounts to the poor, helping them to use these miniscule amounts of capital to begin income-generating endeavors.

Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank and author of Banker to the Poor, observed that the only thing the poor lacked was opportunity.

He writes,

“When you hold the world in your palm and inspect it only from a bird’s eye view, you tend to become arrogant – you do not realize that things get blurred when seen from an enormous distance. I opted instead for “the worm’s eye view.” I hoped that if I studied poverty at close range, I would understand it more keenly.”

Charity vs. Microfinance

Without capital, the poor would take a loan from a moneylender at exorbitant rates in order to partake in the economy. At the end of the day, these people took home pennies to support a family. Yunus figured that if he could loan these slight sums at low interest rates, the poor could enjoy selling the products of their labor on the open market, thus creating economic capital and a trail out of poverty.

Charity, on the other hand, gives freely without expectation of return. Many, though, have suggested that pure charity does not eradicate poverty, because the poor become dependent on receiving aid. Blogger Filip Spagnoli aggregates international development aid on his website. The evidence he has compiled suggests that the amount of aid contributed to these developing nations is staggering, and yet economic growth is not a result.

Would development function differently if aid came in the form of a loan instead of charity? Yunus believes that loans to the poor provide the best investment. Many stuck in the cycle of poverty are smart and hardworking; they just need the money to start. While big banks typically consider micro-loans to be both risky and inconsequential, Yunus’ experience argues that the poor possess the highest incentive to repay their loans.

Of course, when unforeseen problems such as natural disasters and economic meltdowns place the poor in positions where they are unable to repay the loan, Yunus extends grace and loans more money to help the poor back on their feet. In this way, microlending encourages entrepreneurial spirit. Where charity gives the widow a fish, microfinance engages in teaching the widow to fish.

What Is the Best Thing?

Although charitable giving in and of itself is never a bad thing, I do wonder if it is the best thing. Of course, a free gift without expectation of repayment carries the highest blessing for the receiver, yet long term, I wonder if microloans create a better society. Certainly, charity is necessary for the destitute – the people who are so poor that any money loaned would be used to keep them from dying. Yet, the moderately poor need a kick start and microlending seems to be the best option in alleviating these struggles.

Yunus writes Banker to the Poor in an autobiographical tone. He tries his best to position the book as a personal success story in the ongoing battle against poverty. It certainly seems like his position could and should be implemented worldwide, yet Yunus writes with a touch of humility. If you are interested in ways to eradicate poverty outside of giving to your favorite nonprofit, I suggest that you read this book.

Originally published at http://wherepenmeetspaper.blogspot.com/