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...
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Aug 31, 2010
Amang
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Orang miskin di Bangladesh boleh berbahagia sekarang. Terima kasih pada bank-bank yang tersebar di negeri banjir itu yang bernama Grameen. Dalam Bank ini semua orang miskin, juga para pengemis, dapat memperoleh kredit tanpa agunan.
Hingga akhir 2006, Bank Grameen telah mengucurkan kredit kepada hampir 7 juta peminjam di 73.000 desa. Para peminjamnya kebanyakan perempuan. Mereka memakai kredit untuk memulai usaha kecil, membangun rumah dan membiayai sekolah. Khusus untuk para pengem More...
Hingga akhir 2006, Bank Grameen telah mengucurkan kredit kepada hampir 7 juta peminjam di 73.000 desa. Para peminjamnya kebanyakan perempuan. Mereka memakai kredit untuk memulai usaha kecil, membangun rumah dan membiayai sekolah. Khusus untuk para pengem More...
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Aug 31, 2010
nanto
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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 More...
Yah, Pak Yunus dengan sangat rendah hati telah mengubah dirinya dan lingkungan akademisnya untuk mau More...
28 comments
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Apr 18, 2008
Abby
rated it:
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 More...
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 More...
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Jun 10, 2007
Noah
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Just an amazing story, how an economics professor from Bangladesh, trained in the U.S., goes back to his country to do "nation-building" and finds enormous untapped potential among the poor. Harnesses a stripped-down, modified version of traditional banking to start a bank that eventually gains a client base of over 2 million people. That's nuts! How do you start anything that big? One person at a time, apparently - that's how he did it. At a certain point the book stops being a More...
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(1 person liked it)
Mar 15, 2009
Corinne
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I am amazed by how the author of this book, Muhammad Yunus, has taken the world and attempted to turn it on its head. Banker to the Poor tells the story Yunus's entrance into the world of micro-credit, wherein the poorest of the poor are given small loans without any collateral and with the expectation that the loan will be repaid in full. From his first gut-reaction loan to a person clearly in need, to a multi-national, billion dollar enterprise, Yunus has created an organization whose goals ar
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Mar 02, 2009
Leslie
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This book could not have come at a better time for me to read. It was wonderfully inspiring, in part because Dr. Yunus seems to admit no negativity into his account, besides his tirades against what people should not be doing to solve the world's problems, and in part because I am an aspiring microfinancier. His tendency to look on the bright side, something I have read (I unfortunately cannot remember which blog) is a trait of social entrepreneurs, may cloud his account of the rise of his pet p
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May 31, 2011
Asri
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A must-read for anyone working in development field. It is loaded with thought-provoking facts and motivation to work on something that will really be useful for what so-called grassroot communities. His explorations reveals important facts on who are "the poor", what they need, how they are at the face of conventional economics, and the breakthrough in cutting the circle of poverty.
His questions on how academic world can give real impacts to the community is the question More...
His questions on how academic world can give real impacts to the community is the question More...
Apr 12, 2011
Donovan
rated it:
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. Fo More...
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. Fo More...
Feb 27, 2011
Banker to the Poor: micro lending and the battle against poverty, by Muhammad Yunus, narrated by Ray Porter, produced by Blackstone Audio, downloaded from audible.com.
Professor Yunus was an economics professor teaching at a university in what is now known as Bangladesh. In the late ‘70’s, he came to the conclusion that his students needed more hands-on experience in the economics of being poor. He discovered that the very poorest people, mostly women, could never get beyond being p More...
Professor Yunus was an economics professor teaching at a university in what is now known as Bangladesh. In the late ‘70’s, he came to the conclusion that his students needed more hands-on experience in the economics of being poor. He discovered that the very poorest people, mostly women, could never get beyond being p More...
Jan 11, 2011
Suzy
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I knew what micro-lending was before reading this book, but was not really aware that Mohammed Yunus started it. I was particularly interested to read that, to him, the "founder" of micro-lending, the intent of the micro-lender (to enable the poor to raise themselves up) is essential to the definition. Thus various imitators do not pass muster with him. At several points, I found myself thinking of direct comparisons to the program I work for, in which we train low income people to
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Dec 23, 2010
Sarah
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I didn't realize it was a biography when I picked it up; I apparently never looked at the spine where my local library had placed a biography sticker. I don't usually read biographies, but I found this book very interesting. I was particularly intrigued by the first half of the book, the very beginning of the creation of the Grameen Bank.
The later half of the book was harder to follow as related, child and parent companies were founded and explained. I skipped a few overly detailed p More...
The later half of the book was harder to follow as related, child and parent companies were founded and explained. I skipped a few overly detailed p More...
Aug 28, 2010
Christine
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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 could benefit from micro-lending in the same ways as the poor of Bangladesh. I thin
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Sep 06, 2009
Gabe
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In ‘Banker to the Poor’ Muhammad Yunus tells the inspiring story of how he has helped hundreds of thousands of people lift themselves out of poverty by establishing the Grameen Bank. Grameen lends micro-credit (very small loans) to the poorest of the poor without requiring collateral. In lieu of collateral, Grameen requires that its borrowers adhere to a strict set of rules. Yunus explains that these rules help borrowers develop the personal confidence and community infrastructure they need to
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Aug 27, 2009
Gwenyth
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I picked this up because I was interested in learning a little more about Grameen bank, which as I understand it is pretty much the granddaddy of micro-credit organizations. I very much enjoyed the book. It's divided into about four parts: a quick autobiography of Yunus, a quick history of how Grameen got started and its principles, some criticism of some current (actually now somewhat dated) movements in global development, and a summary of Yunus's vision of social entrepreneurship.
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Aug 24, 2009
Diah Ayu
rated it:
sebenernya ragu2 sih, apakah benar buku ini yang kemaren kubaca. soalnya yang aku baca versi terjemahannya, jd gak yakin judul aslinya apa. tapi tak apalah, anggap saja memang buku ini, hehe.
buku ini membosankan, meskipun sebenernya pemikirannya bagus. entah karena stamina membacaku uda gak setangguh dulu, atau karena aku pribadi uda kebiasaan baca buku2 terbitannya resist ato insist, jadinya buku ini berasa kurang 'emosional', hahaha.
kerennya pemikiran Muhammad Yunus ada More...
buku ini membosankan, meskipun sebenernya pemikirannya bagus. entah karena stamina membacaku uda gak setangguh dulu, atau karena aku pribadi uda kebiasaan baca buku2 terbitannya resist ato insist, jadinya buku ini berasa kurang 'emosional', hahaha.
kerennya pemikiran Muhammad Yunus ada More...
Jun 24, 2009
Sara Jaye
rated it:
This book was definitely way more readable than I was expecting - Yunus follows a very clear narrative and doesn't include, for example, details of his personal life that aren't relevant.
Overall, it didn't leave me too much less ambivalent about microcredit than when I started. Obviously Yunus is dedicated to helping people in poverty help themselves and Grameen has helped many Bengalis make positive changes in their own lives. However, he addresses criticisms directly but only very More...
Overall, it didn't leave me too much less ambivalent about microcredit than when I started. Obviously Yunus is dedicated to helping people in poverty help themselves and Grameen has helped many Bengalis make positive changes in their own lives. However, he addresses criticisms directly but only very More...
Aug 05, 2011
What Yunus has done with micro-lending through the Grameen Bank is impressive and intriguing. The best part of the book were the initial autobiographical chapters. Once Yunus gets into economics and theory things slow down a lot and seemed to be rather dry, in my opinion. I didn't find this book easy to read, and Yunus' final two chapters in which he expounds on his vision of a poverty-free world are interesting, yet I couldn't help feel a bit skeptical. Will the world ever change sufficiently t
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May 11, 2009
Scott
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Muhammad Yunus, a social entrepreneur who wants to share the rewards of the free market with the poorest of the poor, dreams of eradicating poverty from the entire world by 2050. The tools he has chosen to accomplish his goal come straight from the capitalist's workbench: credit, competition, the drive for profit, and the elimination of the middleman. What sets Yunus apart from most capitalists, though, is that he measures his success not by how much he's able to grow his portfolio, but rather b
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Apr 02, 2009
Adrienne
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Banker to the Poor by Muhammad Yunus was a more interesting book, and a faster read for me. Yunus, an economics professor in Bangladesh, got the idea to lend small amounts of money to the very poorest people in his country, which would allow them to buy food and materials for setting up their own business. Yunus first started issuing microloans in the late ’70s; today, his Grameen bank is the largest in Bangladesh, and has inspired other microloan enterprises throughout the world. Most important
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Sep 21, 2011
Jay
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This book covers the origination and growth of Grameen Bank, a bank for the poor that focuses on microlending -- lending small amounts to the poor. The stories of Grameen Bank's borrowers are of course full of human interest. As an American, I tend to root for the underdog, and these borrowers's stories show these underdogs doing well - using their borrowed capital to generate income. This book has a lot of these stories, but also many stories of political battles, market philosophy, personal hi
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Jul 27, 2011
Julianne
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I expected a book about finance--even paradigm-shattering micro-finance in Bangladesh--to be at least a little bit boring. But this book really wasn't. At all. Yunus's writing is incredibly accessible, even exciting. He seems never to have sat still for any length of time in his life, and this dynamism extends to his descriptions of economic concepts. One quote I found particularly characteristic and convicting occurs on p. 206: "We can condemn the private sector for all its mistakes, but w
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Sep 10, 2009
Igor
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“The able bodied poor don’t want or need charity. . . . All they need is financial capital.”
This book was the most exciting example of free market approaches to eradicating poverty that I’ve read, and perhaps the most effective method currently being tried.
In 1976, while out in the field of rural Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, an economist at a prestigious Bengali university, was struck by the immense penury all around him. A lot of the poor he encountered wanted to get out More...
This book was the most exciting example of free market approaches to eradicating poverty that I’ve read, and perhaps the most effective method currently being tried.
In 1976, while out in the field of rural Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, an economist at a prestigious Bengali university, was struck by the immense penury all around him. A lot of the poor he encountered wanted to get out More...
Jul 08, 2008
Tyler
rated it:
I LOVED THIS BOOK -- six stars. It tells the story of Grameen and microcredit from the beginning until now.
Forget theories, classrooms, and endless postulating. Acting on a desire to help others will go so much further than all of aggrandized theories and reticent intentions.
Muhammad Yunus changed the world with a simple idea spurned from his moral sense.
Simple goodwill is undervalued.
Forget theories, classrooms, and endless postulating. Acting on a desire to help others will go so much further than all of aggrandized theories and reticent intentions.
Muhammad Yunus changed the world with a simple idea spurned from his moral sense.
Simple goodwill is undervalued.
Aug 31, 2010
Pera
rated it:
Sebuah kutipan menarik dituliskan M Yunus dalam pendahulun bukunya, Kaum miskin mengajarkan saya ilmu ekonomi yang sepenuhnya baru.
Buku ini kisah perjalanan dalam memerangi kemiskinan di negeri yang carut marut dan tantangan budaya yang sulit bagi pemberdayaan perempuan.
Penyampaiannya mirip seperti laporan tapi juga diary. Cukup baik untuk menjadi contoh bagi pelaku2 pemberdayaan masyarakat.
Buku ini kisah perjalanan dalam memerangi kemiskinan di negeri yang carut marut dan tantangan budaya yang sulit bagi pemberdayaan perempuan.
Penyampaiannya mirip seperti laporan tapi juga diary. Cukup baik untuk menjadi contoh bagi pelaku2 pemberdayaan masyarakat.
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Jul 09, 2010
Anne
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Yunus really did something incredible with the Grameen Bank, and he didn't stop at just lending money. He managed to improve people's lives through the loans, but also by offering healthcare, cell phone and internet service, and even endeavoring into fish nurseries. He simply decided what to do, did it, improved it, and continues with it. It was interesting to see what he has done to alleviate poverty and his goal to completely eradicate it is commendable. However, when he talks about the po
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Oct 08, 2007
mellyana
rated it:
inspiring.a professor outside university. a struggle to work on poverty. a sense of gender out of a man from Moslem's background. a must read.
I wont say that his approach is the best way to help the poor, but one should learn how theory put into practice by Yunus. 30 years of struggling to work with bureaucracy and profit oriented institution. Thirty years! Imagine that.
I wont say that his approach is the best way to help the poor, but one should learn how theory put into practice by Yunus. 30 years of struggling to work with bureaucracy and profit oriented institution. Thirty years! Imagine that.
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Jul 14, 2007
Anna
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If any of you have been wondering why I won't shut up about microfinance, this book will explain it better than I ever could. Muhammad Yunus, recent winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, used his training in economics to provide innovative financial services to the poor. Now being replicated all over the world, his practice of microlending has enabled millions to rise out of poverty.
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Nov 14, 2010
Dhara
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Muhammad Yunus’ Banker to the Poor describes the rise of Grameen Bank it its role in eradicating poverty in Bangladesh. The goal of micro-credit is to give small loans to the ‘poorest of the poor’ to make them to entrepreneurs. It turns the village steamtress into a self sufficient business woman by an infusion of credit so she could buy her sewing machine. As her profits grow, she is more than able to pay back her loans. She eventually builds a study house, sets a small education fund for her
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Apr 21, 2009
Lynn
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This book is incredibly inspiring! Muhammad Yunus is a brilliant and compassionate man. Banker to the Poor is the true story about the beginnings and progression of micro-lending and the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. Started in the late 1970s, Grameen and it's sister organizations can now be found in impoverished communities all over the world - including the United States.
Yunus learned that the poor often are not the ones who benefit from programs designed to help them. Instead mo More...
Yunus learned that the poor often are not the ones who benefit from programs designed to help them. Instead mo More...
Feb 12, 2009
Dana
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Micro-lending interests me, in part, because it is about empowering women to support themselves and their children. Muhammad Yunus, an economics professor at Chittagong University in Bangladesh, saw people starving outside the university compound and decided to do something about it. This book describes his effort to start the Grameen Bank, an organization dedicated to loaning money to some of the poorest people in the world. For twenty-two cents, Yunus was able to help a women get out of a
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