Muhammad Yunus: Poor Entrepreneur Bank
on Thursday, July 12, 2018Muhammad Yunus Money Quote saying banks lend money to the already wealthy but Grameen Bank lends to those in poverty to help them become entrepreneurs. Muhammad Yunus said:
“I did something that challenged the banking world. Conventional banks look for the rich; we look for the absolutely poor. All people are entrepreneurs, but many don’t have the opportunity to find that out” — Muhammad Yunus
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In this quote, Muhammad Yunus is explaining the innovative approach of Grameen Bank, which he founded in Bangladesh. Yunus notes that conventional banks typically seek out wealthy, lower-risk borrowers, whereas Grameen Bank intentionally “looks for the absolutely poor” to provide microloans.
He suggests this challenged traditional banking norms. Yunus also makes the philosophical point that everyone has entrepreneurial spirit, but many living in poverty lack the means or opportunities to realize their potential. Grameen Bank aimed to fill this gap by offering small loans to even the most impoverished so they could start micro-businesses.
The overall interpretation is that Yunus believed poverty should not preclude people from accessing credit to better their lives through self-employment and entrepreneurship. He saw microfinance as a way of empowering disadvantaged populations by recognizing their humanity and potential beyond their immediate circumstances according to his perspective outlined in this influential quote.