Muhammad Yunus podcast

This is from Economics in Ten podcast, season four, episode four. Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize (not the Economics Prize, which the episode discusses with characteristic honesty) for developing microfinance through Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. The idea that small loans to poor people, particularly women, could break cycles of poverty is both accessible and interesting economically. The episode covers the theory and the evidence, including the critics who argue that high interest rates in some microfinance schemes can themselves be exploitative. Accessible and engaging, with a clear real-world hook, and a natural discussion-starter about what interventions actually work in tackling poverty. Good for development economics and financial markets topics.  Listen here