A Different View of Helping the Poor

Muhammad Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize by creating the Grameen Bank for microfinance loans to poor people as a way of eliminating poverty.

In USA Today, he advocates a new type of business, social business. With the goal of making money by helping people, Yunus thinks this concept transcends charity and corporate social responsibility. "A social business must operate in the marketplace and earn the support of real customers who pay real money to buy a real product. At the same time, a social business has a social cause, not just a financial goal."

In one case Yunus partnered with Dannon to produce a yogurt for the poor children of Bangladesh.

This concept may be a way for major gift donors to partner with nonprofit organizations to make a sustainable difference that has a business plan beyond just asking for contributions forever. A challenging and interesting concept.

Tom Wilson
Author, Winning Gifts

Permanent Link: A Different View of Helping the Poor

http://majorgiftsguru.com/2008/06/different-view-of-helping-poor.html