Dhaka: A book titled “Small Loans, Big Dreams,” authored by Grameen Foundation founder Alex Counts, is now available at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair. The book highlights the significant contributions of Nobel laureate Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus in the field of microfinance, particularly through his work with Grameen Bank.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the book includes an inscription on the front cover, “How Nobel Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus and Microfinance Are Changing the World,” which underscores Professor Yunus’s pivotal role in the fight against poverty. Alex Counts’s work provides a detailed account of the development and expansion of microfinance initiatives in Bangladesh, spearheaded by Professor Yunus and Grameen Bank. The book also narrates the story of a marginalized woman who, with the support of microfinance, was able to start a small business and transform her life.
Originally written in 2008, this marks the first time the Asian edition of “Small Loans, Big Dreams” has been released, and its debut at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair. Published by UPL, the book is available for purchase at their stall. UPL Director Mahrukh Mohiuddin confirmed to BSS that this edition has been brought to the book fair for the very first time.
In addition to this, three books authored by Professor Yunus, one edited by him, and another titled “Muhammad Yunus, Grameen Bank and the Global Micro-Finance Revolution,” also by Alex Counts, are available at the UPL stall. While these books have been featured at the fair before, the current edition of “Small Loans, Big Dreams” is a new attraction.
In the Asian edition, Counts delves into the history of microfinance and elaborates on how Grameen Bank has adapted its operations to meet challenges such as economic recessions and environmental crises. He also addresses criticisms of the Grameen model and emphasizes the enduring impact of Yunus’s vision.
The book illustrates how microfinance can significantly reduce economic inequality by enabling the underprivileged to engage creatively in the global economy. Alex Counts founded the Grameen Foundation in 1997 with the support of Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus and was its president and CEO. He also served as President and CEO of the American India Foundation from 2016 to 2017 and received the John F. Kennedy Memorial Award while studying at Cornell University.
Other notable books on Professor Yunus, Grameen Bank, and microfinance available at the UPL stall include “Banker to the Poor,” an autobiography of Muhammad Yunus; “A World of Three Zeros: The New Economics of Zero Poverty, Zero Unemployment, and Zero Net Carbon Emissions,” “Building Social Business: The New Kind of Capitalism that Serves Humanity’s Most Pressing Needs,” both written by Prof Yunus; “Muhammad Yunus, Grameen Bank and the Global Micro-Finance Revolution,” by Alex Counts; and “Jorimon and Others: Faces of Poverty,” edited by Prof Yunus.