Nobel Peace Prize for Bangladesh, a moment of joy | Synchronicity!

Synchronicity! Just yesterday morning i was talking with a friend who was sharing her spiritual awakening when she was listening to a tape of Dr. Jane Goodall. I heard of Dr. Jane, but didn't know the extent of her noble contribution in the conservation of nature, animal right and scholarly work. So i decided to know about this person and i was listening to her talk on google video about which i posted last day.

During the enlightening talk she told how Dr. Yunus of Grameen Bank is like a role model to her. Dr. Yunus is the pioneer of micro-credit, the model which is used even in the poorest village of Africa or Latin America to enpower poorest of the poor people. Specially the benefit is targeted to the poor women. I was proud to hear about Dr. Yunus because he is from my country, Bangladesh and the model of micro-credit is a very 'Bangladesh made' successful model adopted to the world.

Interestingly as i finished listening the video with much sense of joy that Dr. Yunus was appreciated by a personality like Dr. Jane Goodall. And surprisingly that noon i heard the news that Nobel foundation awarded the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize to Dr. Yunus. Synchronicity, Meaningful coincidence, huh?!

It was a great joy and moment of happiness. First because this is for the first time a Bangladeshi (my native country!) got Nobel prize. And secondly because it is awarded to someone who is not partisan, not political but someone who genuinely work for the people to alleviate poverty in the world. Dr. Yunus set up the bank in 1976 with just $27 from his own pocket. Thirty years on, the bank has 6.6 million borrowers, of which 97% are women.

Dr. Yunus is an inspiring face for millions of poor people across the globe. He is revered by millions of poor to give them the opportunit to change their lives. In our time, more people die of hunger than war. So its not really surprising when the Nobel committee decided to give him for Peace. Poverty is one of the worst hinderance of peace in our world. Without food, even the thought of peace doesn't exist.

On the issue, Why peace prize for economicy related contribution the Nobel committee has this to say: "Every single individual on earth has both the potential and the right to live a decent life. Across cultures and civilizations, Yunus and Grameen Bank have shown that even the poorest of the poor can work to bring about their own development. Micro-credit has proved to be an important liberating force in societies where women in particular have to struggle against repressive social and economic conditions. " (credit)

Muhammad Yunus is no diplomat or politician; he is simply an economist. Yet as the Nobel Peace Prize committee recognised yesterday, he has done more to help the world than virtually anyone alive today. Mr Yunus's insight was simple, and is worth quoting: "Charity is not the answer to poverty. It only helps poverty to continue." He realised that, even if the vast amount of Western aid reached its intended targets, it would merely create dependency and suppress initiative. His solution was to start at the bottom – to offer small loans, at commercial rates of interest, to those in his native Bangladesh with no collateral and no credit rating. It was, in essence, a gamble on the goodwill and industry of humanity. (credit)

I am proud to be a Bangladeshi!

:: Reference
. Grameen Bank
. Key Facts about MicroFinance | Q&A: What is Microfinance?
. Profile: Mohammad Yunus, the modest banker of the poor
. Nobel Prize
. FactBox: About microfinance
. How the Grameen Bank Works
. MicroCredit

:: More news
Yunus wins peace Nobel for anti-poverty efforts | Banker of the poor: Guardian| Comment: a truly inspiring choice for Nobel Peace Prize | Richly deserved prize for banker to the poor | God's Banker | Lending Liberation | The Banker who changed the world | Profile: world banker to the poor | Follow me and beat the poverty| Credit where credit is due: The banker who changed the world| Blessed are economists | Reading room: The Grameen Bank | Revered by Poor | needed for every gulf state? | Time: Paving the Way Out of Poverty | Other blogs related to the time story | Know more Media



Tag: Noble Prize in Peace, Noble, Bangladesh, Dr. Yunus, Grameen Bank