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VOLUNTEER
NEEDED
The Director of Benevolent Community Education and Rural Development
Society (BERDSCO), a women dominated national NGO and a member of the Grameen
Global Network (GGN), urgently requires the services of a Volunteer to
work in its poverty alleviation program in the Cameroon. The Volunteer
should aim to work at least a year or more on the project which involves
working directly with the rural poorest of the poor, especially women.
BERDSCO is an NGO set up within the framework of the laws of Cameroon as
a non-political, non-religious and non-project-making society. Intended
Volunteers should be able to introduce innovative approaches to current
programmes leading to the achievement of BERDSCO's objectives in Cameroon.
Applicants should write to:
Director, BERDSCO (NGO), P.O. Box 3689 Buea, South West
Province, Cameroon.
Fax: (O237) 32 21 06 (02-37) 32 25 I4
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GRAMEEN COMMONWEALTH
POVERTY DIALOGUE
The first Grameen Commonwealth Poverty Dialogue was held from 24 August
to 7 September, 1998. Jointly organized by Grameen Trust, Grameen Bank
and the Management Training Service Division of Commonwealth Secretariat,
the aim was to encourage participants to implement the concepts and practices
of Grameen Bank in their own organizations.
Special emphasis was given to non-government micro-credit organizations
from African countries, which have concrete plans to implement Grameen
type credit programs for the poor. Twenty participants from 12 countries
including Cameroon, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Ghana, India, Kenya, Malawi
, Pakistan, , Senegal, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia attended.
The 14-day program included three days at the head office, five days
at the field sites of Grameen Bank and a one day visit to three
urban replication projects operating in Dhaka slums. Ms Joyce Hamisi, Executive
Director, President's Trust Fund For Self- Reliance (PTF), Tanzania and
Mr. S. Devraj, Managing Trustee & Chairman of The Activists for
Social Alternatives (ASA),India, made presentations on their experiences
in replicating the GB system in their respective countries.
The Commonwealth Secretariat and Grameen Trust plan to jointly undertake
other programs of this kind in the coming year.
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SELF SUFFICIENT
By mid-July 1998, the Sitalnagar branch of Nirdhan, Nepal, had become
operationally self-sufficient, with a disbursement of US$ 433,970 to 1,994
borrowers. This branch has been receiving scaling-up funds from Grameen
Trust since May, 1995.
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MOU SIGNED
Grameen Trust signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Central
Bank of Angola in July 1998. The objectives are to establish inter-institutional
programs and activities based on the experience and philosophy developed
by Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, with a view to transferring knowledge, reinforcing
the technical capacity of institutions specialising in activities related
to the delivery of microcredit and mobilising small savings in Angola.
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GRAMEEN INVESTMENT LAUNCHED
You can now invest with the Community Investment Note administered
by the Calvert Social Investment Foundation. Your funds will help finance
new projects that benefit the rural poor in Bangladesh through numerous
Grameen enterprises. Investments can be made by completing the CI Note
Information Form or by knowing the Calvert Social Investment Foundation
at 1-800-248-0337. CI Notes may be purchased amounts of at least B1000.
Select a term of one, three or five years for the CI paid as simple interest,
compounded annually.
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FIRST INVESTOR: From Ted
Turner, Chairman of the Board of the United Nations Foundation
I am honored to be the first investor in Grameen Investments, the newest
approach to help some of the world's poorest people. Muhammad Yunus, who
recently joined the Board of Directors of the United Nations Foundation,
has long been admired for his pioneering efforts in microcredit. At the
Foundation, we look forward to his input and innovative ideas in the development
of programs that not only help people pull themselves out of poverty, but
also make good business sense. The Grameen Bank has made loans to more
than 2 million families and boasts a cumulative repayment rate of 98%.
Grameen Bank's fresh approach to poverty alleviation has given some
of the poorest people on earth more than just access to capital -- it has
provided hundreds of thousands of people with hope and a great ability
to take charge of their own destiny.
Grameen Investments represents another innovation -- transforming traditional
philanthropy into socially-responsible investing. It puts one's entire
investment to work, turning a small contribution into a powerful vehicle
for change. Today, Grameen takes another step towards the goal of making
poverty something to read about in history books. It is a delight to participate
in Grameen Bank's newest endeavor and to encourage all responsible investors
to do the same.
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TWENTY EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL
DIALOGUE PROGRAM
Grameen Bank and Grameen Trust had jointly organized the Twenty Eighth
International Dialogue Program. It was held from August 2 to 14, 1998.
They were representing different organizations in Nepal, China, Malaysia,
India and Madagascar.
Held at a time when Bangladesh was in the grip of devastating floods,
the participants were given an overview of the situation on the first day.
This was followed by a briefing on Grameen Trust.
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GRAMEEN WORKSHOP
ON FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Thirteen participants from microcredit organizations in Bangladesh,
India , Nepal , Japan and Uganda attended the Grameen Management
Workshop on Financial Management from September 19 to 25 , 1998.
This is part of a regular series of management workshops organized by Grameen
Trust, to develop the management capacity of Grameen Bank Replication
Projects ( GBRPs) in particular and that of micro-credit organizations
in general. Sound financial management is an essential prerequisite
for any management setup and more so for an organization engaged in microcredit
operation. The aim was to give the participants direct exposure to the
GB system of financial management as well as to assist them to develop
an effective system of their own .
The main topic, the GB financial management system at the branch level,
was discussed in detail and a one-day field trip to branches in Sripur,
Gazipur, Bolmi, Gazipur gave participants a practical illustration of how
the GB financial system really works.
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BRANCH MANAGERS’ TRAINING
Seven staff members from replication projects in Pakistan, Nepal and
Cameroon participated in a Branch Managers’ Training course for Grameen
Bank replicators jointly organised by Grameen Bank and Grameen Trust from
July 11 to 31, 1998. The training concluded with class room training at
the Grameen Bank Training Institute.
The course content included the philosophy of the Grameen Bank project
site selection and initiation of operations, target group selection, group
training, preparations of loan proposals, credit discipline, planning and
budgeting, monitoring and evaluation, staff management, viability of Grameen
Bank and crisis management.
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