Banker to the Poor

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Muhammad Yunus is a visionary dedicated to eradicating poverty globally. In 1983, despite opposition from banking and government officials, he founded Grameen Bank to provide minuscule loans to the poorest in Bangladesh. Based on the belief that credit is a basic human right, Grameen Bank has disbursed over 2.5 billion dollars in micro-loans to over two million families, with 94% of clients being women and repayment rates nearing 100%. Inspired by Grameen, more than three hundred micro-lending programs have emerged worldwide, including in the United States. This memoir recounts Yunus's transformative journey to aid the poor, detailing the intellectual and spiritual evolution that reshaped his views on the economic dynamics between rich and poor. He shares the challenges faced in establishing Grameen and offers hopeful guidance for those wishing to combat poverty. Yunus envisions a future where homelessness and destitution are relics of the past. This definitive account of micro-credit from its pioneer is essential reading for anyone interested in economics, public policy, philanthropy, social history, and business. Born in Bangladesh, Yunus earned his Ph.D. in economics at Vanderbilt University, where the civil rights movement significantly influenced him. He continues to advocate for micro-credit globally while residing in Bangladesh.