Comments for Swivel

Comment on Day Two – Village Day Trip by Peter Challis

Peter Challis — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:29:59 +0000

Mark

The grameen model appears to be a real winner which is a tremendous model in a developing nation/community. It builds dignity and self esteem which is a important element. A “Grameen” engaged community seems so much more enriched then our community which is full of opportunity and human endeavour but also dispair and a lack of community involvemnt unless it follows a disaster of some shape. Our capitalistic ways have led to a over complicated lifestyle of enough is not enough. Yes I am sure the “Grameen” engaged communities would like to have an improved community and they would say to a level like ours, but to what end. I see their sense of community not only inspiring and on the edge of life, but I see it as a way of achieving a journey on a path to improved inner wellbeing. Mark, thank you for the blogs and the commitment to learn and make a difference to the world.

Cheers, Peter

Comment on Wandering in Gulshan – Fri 22 Jan by admin

admin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:09:27 +0000

Hi Brent. I’d really recommend it. Like everywhere here, it’s confronting but worth it. And, after all, it’s the best part of town! Cheers, Mark

Comment on Wandering in Gulshan – Fri 22 Jan by Brent Tegler

Brent Tegler — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 08:38:37 +0000

Very real, alive, in your face…. I can feel the scene and sitting in my hotel room wonder if I want to venture out for a leisurely stroll on the back streets of Gulshan…. Brent @ Royal Park, Block A, Banani, Dhaka

Comment on Muslim Chinese by mathilde

mathilde — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:00:21 +0000

look forward to the book, very much. loving the chapters.
I will make chicken and corn soup, without cashews, and you can read it aloud to us.
and you can pray beneath the fig tree if you need to.
xxx
thilde

Comment on Day Two – Village Day Trip by admin

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:29:14 +0000

Hi Dean. Yep, they charge interest – you pay 1100 for every 1000 taka borrowed. Grameen had plenty of help to get going from donors, and later borrowed money. They are now generally self-funding (ie they lend customer deposits), but benefit massively from past support. The state owns 5% of the bank, the members the rest (ie 8m poor people). It’s the only microfinance bank to take deposits from the public – there are loads of ‘commercial banks’ here that take deposits. Cheers, M

Comment on Hello from Rajshahi by Peter Challis

Peter Challis — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 23:49:58 +0000

Mark

I enjoyed reading your blog – I look forward to a face to face chat where more of the human abuse and cultural oppression can be discussed. Yes you are correct – we should be embarrassed by the massive divide in our social and political culture compared to the beautiful people of Bangladesh. It would also be an interesting discussion on which cultural is more socially enriching. The work of the many NGO’s and alike are inspiring and one justs wonders what will change over time for the children of the world.

I look forward to your next blog.

Thanks

Peter

Comment on Day Two – Village Day Trip by Dean Brownlee

Dean Brownlee — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 04:35:26 +0000

Sounds very interesting, Mark. With the risk of sounding a bit naive or uninformed, are these loans paid back with interest? I imagine that Grameen would have had to, at least early on borrow money themselves – and where did that money come from?? Does the “state” own a piece of this pie? And why is it the only bank in the country to take deposits? Lots of questions, sorry – not being cynical.

Comment on Food Chain by Dean Brownlee

Dean Brownlee — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 04:17:30 +0000

Now that is an astonishing observation! I would imagine that should give the people some sense of control and ownership, as opposed to my sense of being ripped off ( and our farmers being ripped off) every time i go to the supermarket!

Comment on Hello from Rajshahi by Kim Swivel

Kim Swivel — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:37:18 +0000

Great post, Bro – looking forward to the next instalment, and of hearing about some individual tales, when you’ve time to catch your breath xxx

Comment on Grameen and Time by Patrick

Patrick — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:53:51 +0000

This is a beautiful observation – as are many others you’ve made. I love that you are concerned that the taxi driver has to ask for directions. In India it is not unusual to hop in a tuk-tuk, having agreed that they know where you want to go, and stop at the next corner to pick up a friend of the driver, who may or may not know where you want to go. If they do then they will join you for the ride, if they don’t they will take you to another friend who will know, who will also join you for the ride. Sometimes we would end up with three or four extra passengers, all of us friends by the time we arrived at the destination. Now this may have been due to the fact that my co-passenger on these adventures was one Ms C Blanchett and the driver was simply charging his friends to have a ride around town in his tu-tuk, with this translucent goddess, but I also wonder if these journeys are another aspect of the quality of time you talk about. You hop in the taxi and you may not get there as quickly as you would like but you will always get there.