Lets talk about something brilliant yet extremely underrated!
Its a long thread, but hope its worth it.
You know where the biggest interest-free Microfinance Bank of the world resides while creating a difference in the lives of bottom-of-pyramid? Europe, Americas, or ME?
1/10
Its in #Pakistan, called @Akhuwat, which is a truly global story bringing shift in lives of the bottom of the pyramid with access to interest-free microfinance so they can learn to earn instead of having charity for life!
2/10
Started by visionary @DrAmjadsaqib1 with a mere Rs 10k ($180) in year 2001, now 20yrs on, at PKR 140bn ($900mn) worth of interest-free loans disbursed.
Impact: A total of 4 Million 'Families' got benefited from such microfinance...
3/10
And more amazingly, 42% of all, are Women, becming truly independnt!
Interesting fact: Akhuwat's self-funded sustainable model has a 99.99% recovery rate! Let me know where in the world does any Bank have such a staggering recovery, and that without interest being charged?
4/10
The key is, mutual respect, eas, flexiblity, and inclusion, along with deep trust and compassion.
Akhuwat also has life-essential verticles like Clothing Bank that channelizes clothing from the 'Haves' to the 'Have-nots'...
5/10
...Transgender Outreach program creating job opportunities for Transgenders and the underpriviliged, Healthcare initiatives for the poor in inaccessible areas; Village Adoption programs for turning them into modern infrastrutures, and...
6/10
...Education program from #Karachi to #FATA, running school/colleges/universities/research facilities, including Pak's first fee-free university in city of #Kasur in Punjab.
Akhuwat has all the ingredients to change/disrupt the world's micro/SME banking/financial system.
7/10
But I'm absolutely surprised, despite such massively successful models and stories, why are we do we still inclined towards and taking credit in charities and supporting free cash dole-outs without creating any long-term value towards those receiving it?
8/10
We have given away over PKR 1 trillion in BISP/Ehsaas and such other programs in last 10yrs, yet we face higher poverty/greater unemployment levels than before!
Why can't we adopt models like Akhuwat, and more recently announced Kamyab Jawan/Youth Entreprenrshp Schemes...
9/10
Instead of keeping our generations on Chairities, why can't we rplicate/scale/perpetuate models like Akhuwat? Its not about resources, its about how we manage them to create value for society at large!