Bonsai: A documentary on womens' empowerment through microfinance
Bonsai People – Unleashing the power of the free market to eliminate poverty, hunger, and inequality. Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus did his part to fight poverty by micro-lending $27 to 42 women, an effort which has now grown to 8 million women and 8 billion dollars and been replicated around the world.
But Yunus didn't stop there. Now, Yunus goes beyond microcredit to pioneer the idea of social business - a completely new way to use the creative vibrancy of business to tackle social problems from poverty and pollution to inadequate health care and lack of education. Bonsai shows how Yunus - in partnership with some of the world's most visionary businesses - is launching purposely designed social ventures. From collaborating with Danone to produce affordable, nutritious yogurt for malnourished children in Bangladesh to building eyecare hospitals that will save hundreds of thousands of poor people from blindness. It's not about handouts, it's about hand ups.
Bonsai offers a glimpse into his visionary work.Bonsai will have its Bangladesh premier at the Social Business Day 2011 on June 28th. A special shout out to the director, Holly Mosher for all her work in putting Bonsai together. Thanks, Holly!
