Microfinance Nobel Laureate Inspires Developer to Seek to Open Bank Branch in C-U

Muhammad Yunus and his Grameen Bank won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for the concept of "microfinance". Now a local businessman wants to bring the concept to Champaign-Urbana.

Developer Peter Fox says he's in talks with Yunus to open a branch of Grameen America bank in Champaign-Urbana. He and his wife are pledging $100, 000 toward the project.

"This will be a donation to capitalize the bank", says Fox. "Then after that, we'd raise additional money. Obviously, we would do it on behalf of Grameen and they would set the ground rules. So we're just trying to be the catalyst to get it started --- then they would operate the venture."

Yunus explained the principles of microfinance during a talk Monday nigh at the University of Illinois. It involves the loaning of small amounts of money to people too poor to qualify for traditional bank loans, so they can start or improve their own businesses.

"We run a banking program in New York City right now, in Jackson Hieghts, called Grameen America, exactly the same as we do in Bangladesh, and with the same result", says Yunus. "We have over 2,000 borrowers have there -- all women. Average loan about $1500. Repayment is near 0."

From its start in Bangladesh in the 1980s, Grameen and other organizations offering "microcredit" have spread around the world, including to the U-S. Fox says he's very impressed with Grameen America bank, which currently runs operations in New York, San Francisco and Omaha. He says he'll need to raise another $700,000 to $800,000 for Grameen America to come to Champaign-Urbana.

Yunus' talk at the Univesity of Illinois received a standing ovation from a near-capacity crowd at Foellinger Auditorium on the U of I campus. Afterwards, university Interim President Stanley Ikenberry presented Yunus with the university's Presidential Award and Medallion.