Born in 1940 in a Bangladeshi village, Muhammad Yunus has consistently challenged current economic theories and created new ways to empower the poor and underserved. After receiving his PhD from Vanderbilt, Yunus returned to his home country, Bangladesh, in 1972. At the time, a famine was sweeping through the nation…...
Brief History of the Philippines
In honor of Philippines Independence Day on June 12, it is important to look back on the trajectory of the Philippines. The history of the Philippines is marked by an uneven journey for self-determination. The first European to make contact with the Philippines was a Portuguese sailor in 1521 named…...
COVID-19 and the Developing World
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted major inequalities in standards of living and access to medical care between the global north and global south. The countries Wisconsin Microfinance operates in, Haiti and the Philippines, have had incredible struggles in fighting both the medical and economic costs of the COVID-19 pandemic. These…...
Changing Access to Capital
Wisconsin Microfinance is dedicated to providing access to capital for marginalized communities in Haiti and the Philippines. Access to capital in the developing world is often limited to those with wealth that live in cities. The poor lack of both previous borrowing experience and collateral, and the money that may…...
Current Events in Haiti
Wisconsin Microfinance has an incredibly special relationship with the country of Haiti. After the earthquake in 2010, we developed a program that made small loans to people who lost their businesses and livelihoods. During a visit to the country in 2011, it became clear that Haiti has an extremely interesting…...