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Linking Young Minds Together
     Volume 1 Issue 12 | October 22, 2006 |


  
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Spotlight

I was at the reception for Prof. Yunus !

As he entered, the crowd simply became ecstatic and went wild. Clapping and cheering on and on from the moment he stepped on to the red carpet, to the moment he sat down on stage. And why shouldn't they? Here comes a great man who has done so much for our country and for the world, and yet he remains so modest. He started off with only $27 from his pocket to where all this lies today, the Grameen Foundation. I can't even begin to express the excitement I myself felt today as I stood among thousands of people who were present just to get a glimpse of such an honorable man. Political leaders, ambassadors, vice-chancellors of universities, professors, students and more, everybody was there today.

Prof. Yunus founded Grameen Bank over thirty years ago to provide small loans- microcredit for the poor. Today because of his vision, millions of people not only in Bangladesh but also across the world are overcoming poverty. He just won the Nobel peace prize and even now he's not using the money for himself. Prof. Yunus said he would use part of his share of the $1.4 million award to create a company to make low-cost, high-nutrition food for the poor. The rest would go toward setting up an eye hospital for the poor in Bangladesh, he said. The food company, to be known as Social Business Enterprise, will sell food at a nominal price. What a great man… and here I am sitting in front of him, taking snapshots…

Even though I'm not an economics student, Prof. Yunus has made a difference in my life. He taught me that if I believe in something I could make it happen. It brings tears to my eyes to see such a noble man among us. Prof. Yunus continues to inspire everybody and give us hope that tomorrow can be a better day and we can eradicate poverty.

 

-Syeda Sabita Amin

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