Microcredit — UNA-BC Film Series

“Microcredit: origins, practices, and future impact”
Film and Panel Discussion
UNA/Boulder County Film Series
Thursday,  February 17, 7:00 p.m.
Boulder Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 1241 Ceres Drive, Lafayette, Colorado 80026

Microcredit is considered one of the most effective ways to combat worldwide poverty, and is an approach being used throughout the developing world.  It refers to the extension of small, non-collateralized loans to those in poverty.  The success of the microcredit model was exemplified by the work of Muhammed Yunus and the Grameen Bank (of Dhaka, Bangladesh) which he founded, for which they were awarded the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize.

The program will begin with the showing of a short film, “Breaking Through: Year of Microcredit — the United Nations in Action”, followed by a panel discussion and question/answer period.  Panelists will include representatives of local NGOs:  Bead for Life, Friendship Bridge, Tibetan Village Project, and the Boulder County Circles Campaign (BCCC).  The first three NGOs practice microcredit in several parts of the globe, while the BCC’s approach pursues a slightly different model.

Discussion Group – Library – February 17, 2011

A UNA/Boulder U.N. & International Affairs Series library discussion public event
Thursday, February 17, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Boulder Creek Conference Room, Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Avenue

Topic: “Educating young people around the world:  What do they need to learn to become future world leaders?”

Resource person:  Eric Glustrom, Founder and Executive Director of the NGO “Educate!” “Educate!”works to directly address the most fundamental challenge facing Africa: the lack of socially responsible leadership across diverse sectors of society.  Go to experience educate.org for more information.

In 2002, after traveling to Kyangwali Refugee Settlement in Uganda to create a film about the life of refugees, Eric Glustrom met there
Benson Olivier, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who inspired him to found “Educate!” after he saw the potential in Benson and so many other youths to become the leaders who would bring solutions to the challenges facing Uganda and beyond.  Eric graduated from Amherst College in 2007 with a degree in biochemistry.

Reading references for this session are expected to be posted, starting on February 11, at this URL