As you may have heard, founder of the Grameen Bank and Nobel Peace Prize winner  prof. Muhammad Yunus is being investigated for alleged corruption by the government of Bangladesh. According to a recent article by Nick Stace at The Telegraph, due to his clear stance against corruption in politics Yunus has long been distrusted and opposed by the Bangladeshi government. In his article, Stace voices his support for the ”father of microfinance”, asking readers to join new organisation Friends of Grameen, an initiative by Liam Black, co-founder of Grameen partner Wavelength and Danone. The organization is being chaired by Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and has already gained massive support from world leaders within social business and politics.

The smearing of Yunus’ name has culminated as Sheikh Hasina, the Bangladeshi prime minister, has given credence to unsubstantiated claims of corruption at Grameen. However, not even the government in Bangladesh  can question the enormous impact that microloans have had on poverty in their country. According to a report released by the Microcredit Summit Campaign, a program of the US-based advocacy group RESULTS Educational Fund, nearly 2 million Bangladeshi households involved in microfinance were able to rise above the $1.25 a day threshold between 1990 and 2008. These households include nearly 10 million family members. Read the full report here.

If you would like to sign the Friends of Grameen petition against the treatment of Mohammad Yuns by the Bangladeshi government, click here. Read more articles on Yunus’ work here and the controversy he is currently facing here.