The new millennium began with a great global dream. World leaders gathered at the United Nations in 2000 and adopted, among others, a historic goal to reduce poverty by half by 2015. Never in human history had such a bold goal been adopted by the entire world in one voice, one that specified time and size.

Making money is no fun. Contributing to and changing the world is a lot more fun.

Here we were talking about economic development, about investing billions of dollars in various programs, and I could see it wasn't billions of dollars people needed right away.

Poverty is not created by poor people. It is produced by our failure to create institutions to support human capabilities.

There are cultural issues everywhere - in Bangladesh, Latin America, Africa, wherever you go. But somehow when we talk about cultural differences, we magnify those differences.

What good does the theory [of economics] do if it is not working for people?

Long live Grameen Bank. Let the power of poor women prevail.