Give Us Credit

Alex Counts vividly tells us the many stories behind the founding andcontinuing success of GrameenBank, the home of the world micro-lending movement. Micro-lendingis based on the realization that what the poor need to lift them outof poverty is often not a handout, but a small amount of credit and some well-organized encouragement. If ever anapproach sounded simplistic and utopian, it's Grameen's. What makesGrameen worthy of extended consideration is its impressive success,not only in its base in Pakistan, but in duplicate programs all overthe world.Counts' book is not a dry economics lesson, but an engrossing historyof Grameen and the leaders who have sacrificed to make it work. Hetells the touching stories of Grameen borrowers both in Pakistan andin Chicago and relates hows the changes wrought by the tiny amounts ofmoney made available have rippled through the local society. I foundthis book to a great eye-opener; I could never have imagined beforehow important a flea market might be to women struggling to becomeself-employed, nor could I have imagined how resourceful and creativethe very poor could be in starting their own businesses. Yunusconvinces us that the main problems with povery alleviation programsoften lie not with the supposed indolence of the poor but with thelack of imagination that donors exhibit.