Microfinance provides small loans, savings opportunities, and other financial services to low-income individuals who lack access to traditional banking. Muhammad Yunus founded Grameen Bank in 1983 to provide credit to the poor in Bangladesh without requiring collateral. Grameen Bank and microcredit more broadly have helped millions of people rise out of poverty by allowing them to start small businesses. While microcredit has significantly benefited many, concerns remain regarding interest rates and whether loans truly benefit women. Microfinance continues expanding to help alleviate global poverty.

1. Microfinance A powerful tool to alleviate poverty

2. Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime. What if he knows how to fish, but just can’t afford a fishing net?

9. Grameen Bank brought international focus to the practice of loaning money to the world’s poorest inhabitants when its founder, Muhammad Yunus, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. (Grameen is Bengali for rural)

15. Kiva (Swahili for agreement or unity ) is the world’s first microlending website.

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29. “ I have come out of the crowd of women who are looked down upon. Today I'm a very respected woman in the community. Due to the loan that I received... you have made me to be a champion out of nobody.“ - Rose Athieno , Produce Reseller, Uganda