myKRO » Celebrities

Muhammad Yunus on the Simpsons

Jerry Ostradicky — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:57:53 +0000

It was recently announced that Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Laureate who founded the Grameen Bank, will be guest starring on the TV show The Simpsons. This special episode will air on October 3rd and will focus on microfinance and the Grameen Bank’s work. Yeardly Smith, the voice of Lisa Simpson, has been a big supporter of microfinance and flew to Dhaka for a week long visit to study the work of the Grameen Bank. The Simpsons is the longest running TV show and has drawn quite the crowd of followers over the years. By introducing the concept of microfinance on the show, it has potential to reach a whole new audience. I’m definitely curious to see how much the show talks about microfinance and whether it takes a serious stance or a humorous one, for which the shown is know for.

Hugh Jackman Supports Muhammad Yunus

Jerry Ostradicky — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 06:49:35 +0000

Although I don’t really follow or care much for celebrity gossip, it’s always good to see a celebrity in the news supporting microfinance. I came across this picture on the daily start where Hugh Jackman poses with Muhammad Yunus at the opening of the manhattan branch. Here’s what the Daily Star had to say about Jackman:

“Jackman is a strong supporter of Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and a longtime advocate of microcredit. The actor has made a commitment to promote Yunus’s work on social business.
Professor Yunus invited Jackman to visit Bangladesh. Jackman assured him that he’d come to Bangladesh as soon as his schedule permits.
Jackman wrote a letter to Professor Yunus that he was inspired and moved by Yunus’s book ‘Banker to The Poor.’ The actor said in a recent article (The Oprah Magazine) ‘He (Yunus) is fighting at the frontline of poverty, and you couldn’t find a happier guy.’”

Celebrities always support non-profits as we’ve seen over the years, but very few of them are supporting microfinance. I’m hoping that the trend continues and microfinance will get some more exposure in pop culture.

Professor Yunus (left) with Hugh Jackman. *picture from the Daily Star*

Alex Counts and Yeardley Smith on Microfinance in Haiti

Jerry Ostradicky — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 06:16:32 +0000

Here’s a short video where Alex Counts from Grameen and Yeardley Smith (actress known for the voice of Lisa Simpson) visit Fonkoze in Haiti:

The Green Children Release New Song “Hear Me Now”

Jerry Ostradicky — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 05:18:37 +0000

The Green Children are a pop duo from Europe that joined together with Muhammad Yunus in 2006 to help raise money for microfinance. Recently they joined with the Whole Planet Foundation in a new fundraising campaign for more microfinance projects in India. On August 1, they released their newest song “Hear Me Now” which is available on iTunes. This is one of the first times that microfinance initiatives have been available on iTunes, which I think is a great milestone. So everyone spread the word because 50% of the proceeds go to fund a new microfinance project!

Source: Mother Nature Network – The Green Children fight poverty on iTunes

More and More Celebrities Are Supporting Microfinance

Jerry Ostradicky — Sat, 30 May 2009 17:35:51 +0000

With the Simpsons having almost as many years as I’ve had in my life, the show has been there by my side growing up. So when I saw the Yeardley Smith, the voice of Lisa Simpson, was with Alex Counts from the Grameen Foundation working with MFIs in Haiti, I was immediatley a big fan. They do a great job of documenting the journey on the Grameen Foundation Blog: Creating A World Without Poverty.