The authentic Grameen Bank

I have so many thoughts in my mind that I find it hard to express them. I’m impressed by the reality of this country and by Grameen Bank’s work. The first idea that comes to my mind is the great daily effort and work of Bangladeshi people. These people start working very early in the morning and the type of work they do it is very rough and tough. The main activities performed at villages are: agriculture but they also have cows, chickens and ducks. Some men pull Rickshaws (used as taxis); others do carpentry work or sell they land produce in the market. In winter it gets dark at 6pm and they continue working with the light of a candle (most people have no electricity supply).
We stayed 3 days at a Branch (a GB unit that manages many borrowers´ centers). The Branch Manager’s Family was very nice to us. We were 3 interns (a Japanese girl, Mai, an Australian boy, Andrew, and me) and an interpreter (Bangla-English) Sharman. We had a great homemade meal, typical Bengali food… too spicy! We became adapted 100% to their culture, we ate with our hands during our stay (it’s an incredible experience, food seems so much tastier!). The menu was: rice (always) plus vegetables and meat or fish. Once in a while we had a Shokti Doi for dessert.
We went to 2 center meetings every morning. These meetings are held in a little house made of straw once a week. The centre manager meets the borrowers and performs the bank’s transactions. The GB has an incredible style of business. Grameen staff works from 8 am to 10 am. During the day the hold these meetings, visit borrowers, check that people are carrying on with the income generating activity for which they asked the loan, and the in late afternoon, they come back to the Branch to continue with the paper work that Bank requires. They have the same smile as at the beginning of their working day and as in the end of it. The energy they put to what they do is admirable.
The relationship between the borrowers and Grameen staff is very special: on the one hand borrowers address the Center Mgr. with respect, as a father or teacher, and on the other hand the bank employee addresses women with respect and manners as they were their clients, for whom they work (the 95% of the bank belongs to borrowers and 5% to the Bangladesh government). Friendliness and a vocation to help is present in everything.
Grameen business is based on motivation. They have to convince thousands of women (most of them illiterate) that they deserve a loan and that they are capable of managing the money and doing productive activities that will produce a major income for the family (that’s one of Grameen conditions for granting a loan). It’s a very personalize treatment.
Women must get together in a group (minimum of 5 persons) to ask for the loans. They must complete 7 days training with the Bank staff to learn rules and requirements of the Bank. To become a borrower, Branch Mgr will test women with an oral test about GB rules. If they answer correctly, he will accept them as borrowers of the Bank. There are many regulations and a lot of work to do for each borrower; I would bore you with details. But I was a witness of this work: every file, account or revision made. I really admire them.
These employees ride their bike or scooter and go out every day. They perform a great job and are example for everybody; it’s my pleasure to introduce them to you.