Post-Yunus, What Will Become of Grameen Bank? - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Some related MicroFinance Stories

Post-Yunus, What Will Become of Grameen Bank? - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: Among organizations operating largely overseas, one that is well known among Americans and generally quite respected is the Grameen Bank, which was founded by Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus. The positive image and reputation of Grameen and Yunus haven’t suffered much in the U.S. despite occasional criticisms and challenges (for example, see the pretty devastating critiques by author Arundhati Roy and economist Jagdish Bhagwati). Yunus no longer runs Grameen, having been forced out or, more politely, “retired” by the Awami League government of Bangladesh.

Microfinance nonprofit Kiva launches in D.C. - The Washington Post

Microfinance nonprofit Kiva launches in D.C. - The Washington Post: Cantua plans to be among the first few local entrepreneurs to request small loans — as little as $25 — from a network of more than 870,000 lenders online through Kiva, a San Francisco- based nonprofit. Kiva launched its Washington, D.C.-focused initiative on Tuesday.

Loans on Kiva are paid back to the lender. Kiva partners with organizations all over the world—called “field partners”—to identify and screen entrepreneurs. Field partners determine the interest rate on the loan, and keep the interest for their own operational costs

Private-Equity Firms Eye Growing Microfinance Sector - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Private-Equity Firms Eye Growing Microfinance Sector - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Vikram Akula, Founder of SKS Microfinance, Says Publicly His Biggest Critic, Grameen Bank Founder Muhummad Yunus, Was Right - NYTimes.com

Vikram Akula, Founder of SKS Microfinance, Says Publicly His Biggest Critic, Grameen Bank Founder Muhummad Yunus, Was Right - NYTimes.com: Vikram Akula, the founder of SKS Microfinance, the for-profit company that is accused of aggressive collection tactics, made an unexpected observation Sunday night at the Social Enterprise Conference at Harvard University.

“Professor Yunus was right,” Mr. Akula said, referring to Muhammad Yunus, the Grameen Bank founder, economist and a frequent critic of Mr. Akula and others who tried to turn microfinance into a for-profit industry. “Bringing private capital into social enterprise was much harder

Carlo Lorenzo Garcia: Tips for the Everyday Micro-Philanthropist

Carlo Lorenzo Garcia: Tips for the Everyday Micro-Philanthropist: "I have a compiled a list of tips and tools to make the experience more rewarding and educational."

Microfinance: Development panacea, or exorbitant, ineffective poverty trap? | Madeleine Bunting | Global development | guardian.co.uk

Microfinance: Development panacea, or exorbitant, ineffective poverty trap? | Madeleine Bunting | Global development | guardian.co.uk: "-

Kiva CEO Matt Flannery Talks Microfinance And Entrepreneurship

Kiva CEO Matt Flannery Talks Microfinance And Entrepreneurship: "Micro . . . what?! Sure, the term microfinance may sound complicated, but its message is simple: giving loans to budding entrepreneurs in another part of the world who need a little leg up to get out of poverty. If you're familiar with the microfinance world, the name Kiva will often pop up, and if you were watching Oprah last Friday, you'd know it was one of her favorite things. Kiva is a nonprofit that provides an Internet platform for lenders to connect with microfinance institutions around the globe. But don't worry, you don't need match up to an Oprah Winfrey-like donation -- even a $25 loan can make a difference. We talked to Kiva's CEO Matt Flannery, who told us more about the feel-good nonprofit."

Kiva Lets You Fund a Student's Education, $25 at a Time | Fast Company

Kiva Lets You Fund a Student's Education, $25 at a Time | Fast Company: "Global micro-lending site, Kiva.org just got smarter.

It already allows people from all over the world to donate small micro-loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries. Today the forward-thinking non-profit has announced it's making available higher education loans for individuals in Lebanon, Paraguay, and Bolivia. The move opens up the micro-lending process from a focus on small enterprises to empowering individuals in developing countries to attend college. The basic Kiva model will continue, allowing people all over the world to make loans as small as $25. After a yearlong pilot program in the three countries, Kiva plans to expand to at least 15 countries."

Microfinance Group Unitus Shuts Down, Eyes ‘Reinvention’ - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

From the Chronicle

Microfinance Group Unitus Shuts Down, Eyes ‘Reinvention’ - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Microfinance Group Unitus Shuts Down, Eyes ‘Reinvention’

Seattle-based microfinance provider Unitus will dissolve operations, lay off all 45 of its employees, and redirect its assets into a new antipoverty venture, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal.

In a press statement, Unitus said that after fulfilling existing commitments, it will form a “reinvented organization” to work on “poverty-focused philanthropic activities.”"

Can Small Loans Really Change Lives? - Live Discussions - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Can Small Loans Really Change Lives? - Live Discussions - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Microfinance, pioneered in the early 1970s by nonprofit groups like Grameen Bank, in Bangladesh, and Acci�n International, in Latin America, is one of the hottest ideas in philanthropy.

Foundations, individuals, and even private investors are funneling millions of dollars into providing loans to the very poor so that they can start businesses. The believe the efforts can eventually alleviate poverty in a self-sustaining way, because more and more microfinance organizations are breaking even or earning a profit."

Exclusive : Citi’s work and future strategies in microfinance | Microfinance News

Exclusive : Citi’s work and future strategies in microfinance | Microfinance News: "Microfinance Focus, May 4, 2010: Microfinance Focus has taken an exclusive interview with Robert Annibale, Citi Foundation’s Global Director of Microfinance, and Pam Flaherty, Director of Citi Corporate Citizenship and CEO and President of the Citi Foundation who speaks extensively about Citi’s work and future strategies in microfinance and the role of donors."

Grameen Seeks U.S. Foothold for Microfinance - Philanthropy.com

Grameen Seeks U.S. Foothold for Microfinance - Philanthropy.com: "Grameen Seeks U.S. Foothold for Microfinance

The microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus expects Grameen America, the U.S. arm of his lending foundation, to turn a profit within a few years, Time magazine reports in an article assessing the prospects for microlending in the United States."

Microfinance advocates forge alliance | The Philippine Star >> Business Features >> Banking

Microfinance advocates forge alliance | The Philippine Star >> Business Features >> Banking: "ANILA, Philippines – Three of the biggest advocates of microfinance got together to craft a code for the protection of microentrepreneurs.

The Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines (RBAP), Microfinance Council of the Philippines Inc. (MCPI) and ACCION International signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) recently to work together in protecting the rights and welfare of financial institutions’ microfinance clients."

Kiva Brings Microlending Home To U.S. Entrepreneurs In Need

Kiva Brings Microlending Home To U.S. Entrepreneurs In Need: "The financial crisis has made a lasting impact on small businesses around the world and here at home in the United States. With the credit crunch creating a virtual standstill of lending, small businesses in the U.S. are facing an uphill battle to find funds, especially if their financial history isn’t stellar. Kiva.org, one of the web’s most interesting innovators in the micro-lending space, is hoping to come to the aid of U.S. entrepreneurs and small businesses by launching a pilot expansion that would allow individuals anywhere to make small loans to low-income U.S. entrepreneurs through Kiva’s platform."

Muhammad Yunus: Lifting People Worldwide out of Poverty - Knowledge@Wharton

Muhammad Yunus: Lifting People Worldwide out of Poverty - Knowledge@Wharton: "Knowledge@Wharton: Our guest today is Muhammad Yunus, winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize and founder of the microcredit movement -- based on the idea of making very small loans to the world's poorest people, thereby giving them the opportunity to raise themselves and their families out of poverty. Thank you for joining us."

Business Daily Africa - the international window into East African business opportunities - Why microfinance institutions are popular

Business Daily Africa - the international window into East African business opportunities - Why microfinance institutions are popular: "May 01, 2009: Microfinance – previously seen as an area bound to make perennial losses - is rapidly growing into one of the important asset classes that investors are hunting for."

Getting Microfinance Right - Forbes.com

Getting Microfinance Right - Forbes.com: "he optimism starts with the evolution of microfinance, which has proved not only that the poor are credit-worthy, but that banking institutions serving the poor are investment-worthy. In addition, microfinance is tapping into a technological revolution that enables areas with deficient land phone service to leapfrog ahead to cellphones and broadband. And, as this takes place, both philanthropy and capital markets are paying careful attention."

Microfinance: Ready For Its Big Leap? - 02..2009 - U.S. Banker Article

Microfinance: Ready For Its Big Leap? - 02..2009 - U.S. Banker Article: "As the CEO of Accion Texas, Janie Barrera has plenty of lending success stories to tell. There’s the Colombian woman in Dallas who launched a translation business, and today counts the likes of 3M and Southwest Airlines as clients. Or the African-American man in Houston whose idea of leasing beds to nursing homes was met with skepticism by traditional banks and today is doing well. She also has some odd tales to share, including the one about the woman in southern Texas who pledged goats as collateral for a small loan to start a restaurant. “The next time I visited her, I asked to see the goats,” Barrera recalls. “She said, ‘What do you mean? We used them for lunch.’”"

Whole Story » Blog Archive » Cristina’s Story - Grameen Guatemala

A hat tip to Perry Anne for pointing out this story.

Whole Story » Blog Archive » Cristina’s Story - Grameen Guatemala: "In June of 2006 I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Guatemala with Whole Planet Foundation Team Member, Steve Wanta. The goal of the trip was to record the personal stories of several Grameen Guatemala borrowers in the Lake Atitlán region. The video footage we shot was used to create Cristina’s Story- the video above. This video illustrates the profound change that microcredit operations can create for the people who participate in them."

Yale students launch loan program - The Boston Globe

Yale students launch loan program - The Boston Globe: "Elmseed Enterprise Program, which provides small loans and intensive technical support primarily to low-income and other disadvantaged entrepreneurs, is the first microfinancing program in the country run by college students, organizers say. It sparked a similar initiative last year by Harvard University students, while Georgetown students are planning a program in Washington, D.C., Rutgers in New Jersey, and others such as the University of Rochester in New York are considering starting programs."