Ten minutes with Professor Yunus

After insisting for days, I finally managed to set an interview with Professor Yunus. What a beautiful way of closing up such a wonderful adventure. We spoke about Social Business and Grameen Bank work in this field in his office. He wondered about my trip to Bangladesh… I tried to let him know about my passion for social business and for so many other concerns that his writings arose in my mind.
I was very grateful for his time as it is very difficult to have a meeting with him (especially for an Intern) as he is a very busy man who is always travelling.
I am very pleased to have had the chance of meeting Yunus, it was an incredible opportunity. I hope I see him again some day.

Atesham

The journey is about to end, but let me introduce you to a very important person who accompanied me during my stay in Bangladesh: Atesham, my Grameen Bank Coordinator.
Atesham started working at Grameen Bank from the very beginning; that’s why he knows all about it and feels part of the Institute’s philosophy. It is amazing to hear what he has to say. Every word of speech transmits his passion for the cause.
He began working for the bank in a very poor area of Bangladesh, a great challenge for someone that had just finished his studies. First he was Second Officer for a branch and he was rapidly promoted to Branch Manager. At those times the conditions at villages were much poorer than they are now. There were no streets and the land kept flooded by summer rains.
Grameen employees had to walk or ride a bike to get to the center meetings. Atesham traveled around the village for weeks, visiting the inhabitants, schools, mosques and markets to present the Grameen project of small loans. Nowadays, Grameen is widely known in Bangladesh (it is the most important bank within the country) and the world, but it wasn’t easy at the beginning to convince the poorest people of the country that the opportunity that GB offered was unique and convenient for their situation. Many groups rose against Grameen: wealthy inhabitants, religious groups and political parties, etc. But Atesham succeed creating a bound with them.
Not many months passed before this Branch Manager gathered 1.000 members. His main aim was to relieve the situation of the disadvantaged people of his country. He made people understand that they could have a better life if they got together with a common goal, themselves with the aid of loans and work within community and Grameen Staff. The building of streets was a solid example of this. The Government could only provide the money for material but no for labor. Atesham together with villagers decided to do the work themselves as volunteers to build streets so as to move transit around more easily and to open market shops. Streets were ready in two months. He also managed to import 1.000 latrines for the population and he also arranged for their installation.
He shared with me some of his techniques to mix with villagers, to get to know their stories to help them in a better way. It’s all about setting up deep bonds with people and feeling true concern for them.
Knowing the people you lend the money is not enough, you have to know their family, business and desires. Soon Atesham became a role model for each person. Everybody turned to him for any problem. His never-ending work and his constant availability to help, was well known in the community. I think his idea of studying to be a Vet was great, as one of the most important problems the population has to deal with everyday is Animal Care. Many Villagers work mainly as breeders for cows, ducks, etc., so he helped them in that.
When he was transferred to another area, the number of Grameen borrowers was 3.000. This man left a mark and changed the lives of thousands of people.
I was deeply moved after I listening to him. He transmits a vivid energy when he talks about his work in Grameen, and it’s beautiful. He is an example of what we can achieve if we truthfully believe in what we do. I was very lucky that he was my coordinator.

Slam at Dhaka

Today I visited one of the poorest areas of Dhaka, what they call “Slum”, as in English. It is a densely populated, very dirty and poor area. Houses are very tiny. I felt very bad after I saw the way these people live. It is a very sad image. Hundreds of people sharing the same latrine and the same water pump.
I also visited a community center that belongs to Padakhep, one of the most important NGO in Bangladesh, partner of Grameen. This NGO is focused on microfinance projects in Dhaka City. They have 2.5 millions borrowers in Bangladesh and 5 millions members. This NGO has a very interesting program for homeless children. During the day they offer them the chance to learn school subject and take care of their health. They offer health-care and psychological aid and a variety of vocational courses to teach any kind of job. Only girls can stay overnight, today 30 of them sleep there. It is a very dangerous area for them to wander around. They told us that they are in danger of white slave trade, so they keep them away from this awful destiny.
In the “Slum”, I had the chance of participating in a borrowers meeting that took place at a borrower’s house. We were 20 women in a very small room. They all accepted loans for different purposes: textile, popcorn machines, saris purchasing, etc. Most of them came from the outskirts of Bangladesh seeking work in the city. None of them think of going back to their village. A few of them attended school for some years and have now became housekeepers.
I was really shocked by a 15 year old girl that had a baby already. She married at 14 and today she has the responsibilities of a mom and a house. Women are not legally authorized to marry until they are 18, but in this country, tradition is way much stronger than law.
This poverty doesn’t seem strange to me. Going along the streets of Dhaka I keep in mind the streets of Buenos Aires as well. Maybe, we have the advantage, that Buenos Aires is more picturesque while here, the city is polluted, grey with a tint of sadness in the eyes of its inhabitants. Here there are some pictures to illustrate what I mean.

My stay in Katigram Manikgonj Branch

My experience in this second trip, was beautiful. I think that I have started to understand better the work done by Grameen and their staff. The situation of the majority of women has improved a lot in the last 30 years, although there is a vast difference of status between women and men. Women are in charge of paying back the loan and going to centre meetings every week, while men run the business. Some women tell us that both decide at home, but men have the last word. Nowadays, women gain a daily space in community; they leave their houses, share time everyday with other women and also have to pay the loan payment. There is much to do for women and their situation. But cultural legacy here is very strong. For instance, women do not eat together with their men, they serve the meal and wait for men to finish, then they start eating the leftovers (I witnessed this at two branches). As a woman, seeing the way they are treated is harsh and greatly annoying. It is impossible to get used to that, because it is really unfair.
In this occasion I was able to enjoy the landscape, we had long walks through rice fields and tobacco plantation. The view was amazing, a rest for the eye and mind. It was really pleasant. Those sceneries invite me to think deeply about many things.
I met many interesting characters in this trip. One of the astonishing things was the generational gap in the villages. Most parents (borrowers from Grameen Bank) send their kids to school and some make the effort to send them to College too. We were able to interview 3 girls that received a Grameen scholarship to start their first year at the university. They will receive 150 tk. monthly (USD 2) during 2009. That is not enough obviously, so their family pays for the rest. This scholarship is given for one unique opportunity, so the rest of the study will depend on the financial situation of their parents. Most parents did not finish primary school, some did not go to school at all, but they do understand the importance and privilege of a good education for their kids. They dream of their kids becoming doctors, teachers, engineers, etc.
Poverty is everywhere, their houses are modest but they manage pretty well with what they have, because here, little is enough. I think they are very good administrators.
To put my impressions and thoughts into words becomes more and more difficult each time. I apologize. During my stay in Tangail, I felt for the fist time in my life that I needed nothing else. It was a very special moment, I didn’t need anything: I had all I needed. There I was, sitting next to the center manager, listening to the borrowers stories and I felt complete, more human than ever. It is hard to go back to reality after such a beautiful and amazing feeling. I wonder which the true reality is…
We also had a lot of interaction with kids. I found an excellent Bangla Shikok (teacher) who taught me to write numbers in Bangla. After half an hour of practice, I can say that I learnt quite well. My teacher was only 13 but he was satisfied with his work.
I also discovered that I have a soft spot for Bangladeshi babies; they are the most beautiful little persons that I’ve ever met in my life. Some pictures to enjoy here.

Some pictures

Asala molecum!

Tomorrow I’m leaving for Katigram Manikgonj (west of Bangladesh) so I’m leaving you a picture of Dhaka that I took from the terrace of the hotel and some pictures of Solonga villagers. Maybe in one picture you can’t find me, I’m part of the group!
See you on Thursday! Poré deka jobe!

Bangladeshi Wedding

Today I was lucky enough to be at a Bengali wedding. There were 1,000 guests in a huge salon full of colorful lights. The bride was gorgeous and both seemed very happy. We had a Bangladeshi meal, spicy but very delicious. The best part of the evening was the getting ready. We went to the house of a friend’s aunt in the evening and then we went shopping together with her daughter. We bought beautiful Saris with accessories (a t-shirt, trouser to wear underneath the sari and a pair of shoes). Then we went back to the house and got ready for the event. We have make up put on our faces and our hair was done up. The ladies of the house helped us to put on the sari. It’s a difficult job.
Imagine a very long piece of material wound round your body many times. We spent an hour an a half dressing up. The women who helped us were very kind and sweet.
We had a nice moment of intimacy these women, although our cultures are different, we felt the complicity of the genre and we laughed a lot.
That was a very interesting evening. Here are some photos to see the clothes and the wedding.

Knowing the borrowers

In my trip to Solonga I attended many borrowers´ meetings, 5 female centers and one male center (97% of the Grameen borrowers are women). At these meetings the Center Manager collects weekly loan payments and discusses with borrowers any problems that may have arisen during the week. The meeting is held once a week at the center house (a small house made of straw and cane, a table and many benches). The Mgr. sits behind the desk and borrowers sit in groups in front of him. The first bench is always the bench of honor. Normally the Center leader sits there and she is in charge of starting and finishing the meeting as it is stipulated by Grameen rules. It is a formality that is divided into three steps: stand up, rise your right hand (in Bangladesh you always have to use your right hand, to eat, thank, etc.) and then sit again.
Once the greeting was over, we introduced ourselves in Blanga…yeah (very funny because women were surprised to hear us speaking their language). I must say that I learnt a lot in those 4 days. Then our questions began: we asked them about their life, loans, history, desires, and plans for the future. At the end, they asked us about our country of origin.
At the meetings some women talked with confidence while others were shy hiding their mouth behind their veil. Most of them have been GB borrowers for a long time. Their lives have changed a lot in the last 20 years, since their first loan. One of the borrowers told us that, at the beginning, they were scared taking the credit, learning the rules, and memorializing them, being totally illiterate. But after 7 days of training, they became Grameen Bank borrowers. At that time they lived at a shack and most of them didn’t even own the land where they lived. Their husbands worked the land and have a very low income. With time and Grameen credits they started their own business and built their own house (now made of straw). Today they do their best to have their kids educated and to repay the bank. Their life has changed dramatically. They still have a poorly life from our point of view but, actually, it is a great step forward for them.
Some women were luckier than others. Some continued progressing while others had to take flexible loans to continue paying the bank.
The area I visited suffers from floods. The river rises high in summer and water covers the roofs of houses. Every year people have to rebuild their house and their lose assets (cattle, crops, etc). The Government cooperates reconstructing the area by spending billions of USD per year. Nevertheless, they keep working every year, taking credits to increase business and looking forward to a better future. They know that floods will come so they try to prepare themselves every year.
Borrowers´ kids (older that 6 years) must attend school, that’s a requirement of Grameen. Most of the mothers are illiterate but the following generation is literate. Kids who do not attend school work in the family business. These children belong to big and less educated families. In these centers, the situation is much more.
Grameen Bank offers many types of loans: basic loans, micro enterprise loans (for bigger business that requires more money), loans for higher education (school and university), loans for house construction, scholarship for the best student, etc.
Women are the connection between the family and the bank. They are responsible for attending the meeting and repaying the loan weekly (another bank’s requirement). Grameen believes that women administrate money better than men do. Women will spend money on family welfare and development, and that is the bank’s main philosophy.
There was a great feeling of union and community in the atmosphere. Everyone cared about each other. Borrowers helped each other when someone couldn’t afford the repayment. Bank works through peer pressure. All members must be updated with repayments, so that everybody can keep getting the loan. The community is really concerned about the sustainability of refunds.
It was a great pleasure to meet these borrowers, their stories, and their future plans. Some of them invited us to go to their houses and very proudly showed us their homes. Here there are some pictures for you to know them too.
I should say that this was not an easy goodbye. Some women were very touched when they told us their stories, they were thankful for receiving people from other countries who had come to their homes and had listened to their anecdotes. And so were we with each tale and every sweet look from these women. The oldest women wished us a long life and patted our heads as a blessing. I am so grateful to everyone for having me at their homes and sharing their stories with me. The world hides wonderful stories in isolated villages…I heard some of these stories and I feel very lucky for that.