Friday 28 August 2009

Illustration Friday – Magnify

 

morning catch Morning Catch

 

“There are cultural issues everywhere - in Bangladesh, Latin America, Africa, wherever you go. But somehow when we talk about cultural differences, we magnify those differences.”

~ Muhammad Yunus ~ 

muhammad_yunus_2006_nobel_prize

My kind of hero!

Muhammad Yunus is the Bangladeshi economist who won the 2006 Nobel Prize for pioneering a new category of banking known as micro-credit, which grants small loans to poor people who have no collateral and who don’t qualify for conventional bank loans. The programme has enabled millions of Bangladeshis, almost all women, to buy everything from cows to cell phones in order to start and run their own businesses. Similar micro-credit projects have helped millions around the world lift themselves out of poverty.

In the prize announcement The Norwegian Nobel Committee speaker said:

“Muhammad Yunus has shown himself to be a leader who has managed to translate visions into practical action for the benefit of millions of people, not only in Bangladesh, but also in many other countries. Loans to poor people without any financial security had appeared to be an impossible idea. From modest beginnings three decades ago, Yunus has, first and foremost through Grameen Bank, developed micro-credit into an ever more important instrument in the struggle against poverty.”

After receiving the news of his award, Yunus announced that he would use part of the $1.4 million prize money to create a company to make low-cost, high-nutrition food for the poor; while the rest would go toward setting up an eye hospital for the poor in Bangladesh.

Just like our friend, Dr. Maithri, here is another builder of bridges, don’t you agree?

28 comments:

The Bug said...

Wonderful! Reading stories like this restores my faith in humankind (our healthcare brouhaha has put me quite off humans lately!).

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Thanking for highlighting the work of this amazing man.

Elizabeth said...

Yes, there are good people out there!

Silke Powers said...

Wonderful painting, Tessa, and inspiring post!! I hope all is going well for you! Hugs, Silke

soulbrush said...

what a lovely post (again). hope you're feeling more positive now, and the rain has ceased falling in your life in quite such heavy downpours. xxx
i have opened an etsy shop....with some african pieces.....

Ces Adorio said...

Yes, what a lovely painting and a wonderful man. I read about him and I think it works because corruption has not infiltrated it (yet). Let the governments intervene and it becomes another bureaucratic mess. I hope they keep his process and message alive.

Lorac said...

So good to hear that there are still wonderful people in the world who are willing to give their time to help!

I saw a meme that looked like fun so I have decided to try it and send it out to a few bloggers.

So, here is the ritual:

1) Open up you first photo album

2) Scroll down to the 10th picture.

3) Post that picture and write the story that goes with the picture.

steven said...

hi tessa, i remember when muhammad received this aard because i told my class about him. what's hard to imagine is that it is so simple. so very simple. help poor people by giving them back their power, then watch them hand it on to others who have given away or had their power taken from them. this is why i love living in this time. it's tough, ugly, there are so many things that are not right, but rightness has a place and is staking a claim on the conscience of humanity. thanks so much for this uplifting piece of writing tessa. steven

Holly said...

It's so easy to forget, what with all the negative we can hear in one day's span, that the truth of us as Human Beings is that we are wonderful. Loving. Generous. Kind.

How wonderful that some of us are so willing to be such beacons of hope and light.

L'Adelaide said...

thank you for sharing this wonderful man's story with me....I had not heard of his mission!

blessings..

ceecee said...

Another beautiful angel, Tessa.
Catherine

Maithri said...

Firstly,

The painting dear Tessa is amazing! breathtaking as always..

Secondly I'm deeply humbled to have my name mentioned in the same sentence as someone like this!

Microcredit works! Theres a great organisation called kiva whom your readers can visit and make such a loan to someone in the developing world...

www.kiva.org

You shine like the stars of Africa my friend,

Much love, Maithri

Val said...

how wonderful to hear of such stories - thank you Tessa x

Titus said...

It is very good to hear of the good in the world, and an important reminder than just one person can make a difference.

Loved the vibrancy of the picture!

Dianne said...

he is most definitely a builder of bridges

I saw him interviewed and he said that all the loans are re-paid because everyone is vested in making sure the money is there for the next person

imagine that!

Caroline said...

Thank God for Builders of Bridges. Thank you for highlighting one of them! Lovely painting too.

Linda Sue said...

Yes, Dear Tessa, AGREE! Timely post. Important is the common goal of all- to live life fully without bombs in the backyard,to have enough fishes for dinner, fresh clear air warmed by the sun and healthy glorious community of support. Greed and religion, superstition, would need to be elsewhere, perhaps somewhere closer to the sun...or black hole- whichever.
Love you!

Lori ann said...

I was going to tell you about Kiva too, it's a wonderful idea.

Your post warmed my heart in so many ways, your paintings always do that to me, and then sharing the work of Muhammad Yunus, you are a true and beautiful gem Tessa.
Hugs + Love,
lori

Lola said...

Thank you for reminding us of this great man's wonderful work!

Wonderful painting too!

xxLola:)

Madame DeFarge said...

I always thought this chap was one of the finest in the world. A bit of a hero really and so rare to see someone make such a huge difference to people's lives.

Renee said...

I agree dear friend.

How are you feeling?

Love Renee xoxo

Gai said...

I love your work and that your images express powerful meanings. thank you for sharing.

Caroline said...

Hello Tessa, How are you? There's a small award for you to collect over at my blog when you are able. C xx

kendalee said...

Definitely agree! Amazing man. Amazing idea. So simple really and yet it works so well. You build bridges too by bringing these things into our daily thoughts - thank you!

I hope you are feeling well this week.

A Cuban In London said...

Just back from my fantastic holidays in Spain and doing my usual blog round. It's so nice to see that the good quality has not diminished one bit. Many thanks for your fantastic post.

I read an interview with him in The Economist recently and it was deeply inspiring.

Greetings from London.

Boozy Tooth said...

Very inspirational. Thank you for the informative post, and congratulations on your POTD mention.

Jerome D'Costa said...

Thank you for the timely coverage on Dr. Muhammad Yunus who is a builder of bridges. People like him make others' life a bit easier and better.

In reality, all of us can be builders of bridges in our own spheres -- however little they are. That's why we are in this world for.

Please keep up the good work.

The Diplomat said...

It is good to know we can have hope of somebody like Muhammad who decide to help the poor..i am very happy and God will bless him forever...Thanks you