Meeting with Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize winner and co-founder of the Foundation

During his visit to Paris on May 14, 2024, Muhammad Yunus, member of the Foundation's Board of Directors and President of the Grameen Trust, was welcomed by Véronique Faujour, General Delegate of the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation to discuss financial inclusion and social entrepreneurship.

During this interview, Muhammad Yunus recalled the food crisis that hit Bangladesh in the 1970s. He explained how small loans granted to villagers near the university where he taught laid the foundations for microfinance. He emphasized the importance of targeting women, who are often excluded from traditional financial systems but possess strong entrepreneurial skills.

In the current context of economic disparities and environmental challenges, Yunus presented his economic model based on three objectives: zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero net carbon emissions.

He also discussed the NOBIN program, which finances entrepreneurship for women and youth. This program, which has proven successful in Bangladesh, is supported by the Foundation in Senegal. It aims to provide women with access to financial services to launch and expand their businesses, thus integrating them into the formal economy.