MetaFilter posts tagged with microcredit

Questioning Kiva

kmennie — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:43:58 -0800

Kiva transparency commentary: "I suspect that most Kiva users do not realize this." The controversy is summarized by the NY Times. See also: MetaFilter Kiva team, and a microfinance gateway. Links harvested from the estimable CSRL newsletter.

"For their efforts to create economic and social development from below"

matthewr — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 03:55:34 -0800

In 1976, a young Bangladeshi economics professor named Muhammad Yunus founded Grameen Bank to implement microcredit — lending small sums to the very poorest members of society. Today, he and his bank share the Nobel Peace prize. Grameen, a profit-making company with social objectives, has lent $5.3bn to 6.4m people. 97% of borrowers are women, as Yunus believes [video] "men will do whatever they could to enjoy for themselves personally [but] women looked at it for the children, for the family and for the future."

Beggars Into Businessmen

tranquileye — Tue, 30 Mar 2004 18:59:06 -0800

Turning Bangladesh's Beggars Into Businessmen. One of Bangladesh's leading micro-credit groups has launched an initiative to lend money to beggars at easy repayment rates, to wean them off the streets and into small scale ventures.

Microcredit, microfinance, village banking and empowering the world's poor

madamjujujive — Sun, 08 Jun 2003 10:01:19 -0800

What could you do with $27? - Microcredit or microfinance provides working capital through small loans to the working poor. Read some of the wonderful accounts of people who built thriving businesses and new lives with from a jumpstart of as little as a $100 loan. Read the remarkable story of the Grameen Bank, and learn about Village Banking, and other inspiring efforts to bring dignity and help to the more than 1.2 billion people who live on less than one dollar a day. - more -