"Muhammad Yunus Addresses Microcredit Community
at Denver Conference"

Aubrey Bullion

On the morning of March 14, I was pleased to get a break from my usual workday to attend the Keynote Breakfast of the Social Business and Microeconomic Opportunities for Youth Conference in Denver. I was not alone in my excitement for this event, after all, how often does one get to listen to the words of a Nobel Peace Prize Winner in person? This day was special to many of us because we were able to hear the inspiring advice and perspective of Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the pioneer and most famous advocate of the microfinance revolution.

After kind introductions by our Colorado Governor Bill Ritter and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, amongst others, Yunus graced the stage in his humble and purposeful style. We listened intently as he explained the origins of his ideas, and how, then and today (thirty-some years later), people are still surprised and even confused by the simplicity of the microfinance idea and how successful it can be. He relayed a feeling most of us can relate to in the modern world:   consternation that so many should live in dire poverty, when they clearly have potential to produce and contribute as much as any of us do, yet there seems to be plenty of wealth to go around. And so, his solution was a simple as his observation. If the system for success exists but has left these people out, then just give them a chance to participate.

Yunus then furthered this point and expressed his challenge to us all:   if business works, then put that success in action for more than one goal. Create a "social business." Where you see a problem, create a business that will alleviate it. He asked us to say to ourselves, as he did, "I will never seek jobs from anyone, I will seek to create jobs." It was quite a motivating speech.

We learned more throughout the morning event about new ways Grameen Bank, Yunus' brainchild, was delving into the possibilities of social business as part and parcel of microfinance itself. If we are giving opportunity to people through loans, why not also teach and offer business models that will have social benefits, such as water purification services? Enlist the help of large corporations that are already working, as Grameen has with Danone, a French company who has created a nutritional yogurt product that is affordable in areas where malnutrition and poverty persist. Yunus also clarified that microfinance organizations should not be in the industry for profit, but for social improvement, and that the educational and community aspects of the Grameen model are key.

This keynote address was, in many ways, a "State of the Union" for the microfinance industry and organizations - and the constituents were listening. Representatives from all kinds of non-profit, business, domestic and international, educational, private and public sector interests were in the audience and we all applauded heartily at the passion, leadership and drive that Dr. Yunus puts into this movement. The general conclusion, from my point of view, was that microfinance industry can be the seed to many developments and answers to a myriad of social problems facing us globally. I was proud to have been there with Adelante and to get a taste of how bright the future can be with the continued progress of our organization.

Aubrey Bullion has been an active advocate, donor and volunteer for Adelante for over a year. She saw the program in action during her visit to Honduras in February 2007. Aubrey is an employee benefits consultant who lives in Boulder, Colorado, with her husband Michael. You can contact Aubrey at aubreybullion@gmail.com .

For more information on the Social Business and Microeconomic Opportunities for Youth Conference with keynote speaker Muhammad Yunus, please visit: http://academic.regis.edu/cat/socialbusiness/index.htm

To read the Denver Post article "Yunus discusses huge impact of tiny loans," please visit: http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_8565584

Click Here for In the News Archives