Reading Reflection No. 1

1. The book I chose is "TWENTY-SEVEN DOLLARS AND A DREAM, HOW MUHAMMAD YUNUS CHANGED THE WORLD AND WHAT IT COST HIM" by Katherine Esty.

What surprised me the most? All that Muhammad Yunus as accomplished in his 77 years here. He has been awarded a countless amount of awards, including a Nobel Peace Prize.

What about the entrepreneur did I admire the most? Yunus's ability to create a vision and make it come to life. He let nothing get in his way of helping rebuild the economy in Bangladesh. Even though he had a great life in the United States, he left his comfort zone to help revamp his homeland of Bangladesh. Also, the fact that he won a Nobel Peace Prize is amazing.

What about the entrepreneur did I least admire? He chose Bangladesh over his family. His daughter was born right after Bangladesh declared their independence from Pakistan. This was right after a war and due to the war, Bangladesh was in turmoil. His wife decided that it was not an appropriate environment to raise their child and she moved back but Yunus stayed. In a way, it is still honorable that he gave up a life with his family of 2 to help the lives of millions.

Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? Yes, one was the absence of his family. How did he deal with it? He bit the bullet and continued to make his vision come to life in Bangladesh. Yunus did not want a divorce but after being so far from his family for so long, his wife and he grew apart. Another adversity Yunus faced was trying to get banks to believe in his idea of microfinancing in Bangladesh. He was told no many times but never gave up. How did he deal with this? Yunus was relentless.

2. What competencies did I notice that the entrepreneur exhibited? Yunus genuinely saw the potential that the poverty class had in his country. He knew that if they were given financial stimulation, that they had the potential to prosper. Yunus could see past the toothless smiles and the unsanitary lifestyles and realized a little help would give the people of Bangladesh a fighting chance.

3. One part of the reading that was confusing to me. I guess it would be why Pakistan went to war with Bangladesh. I know Pakistan wanted to implement their culture and in a sense erase Bangladesh which makes no sense to me. Each country is unique, this, in essence, gives each country their beauty. It is hard for me to see why others do not see that sometimes.

4. If I were to ask Muhammad Yunus 2 questions, what would they be and why? My first question would be, "How did it feel when you received your Nobel Peace Prize?". That is such an extraordinary accomplishment. I highly admire this credential he earned because this is the highest award you can receive in this field of work. My next question would be, "how did you keep your vision even the odds were against you?". His family left, people were dying on streets, the economy was practically condemned, and yet Yunus still continued to move forward with his vision. He is the true definition of walking by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

5. What do I think Muhammad Yunus's opinion of hard work is? And do I share that opinion? I'd say his opinion of hard work is to never give up, and that persistence is key. Yes, I completely agree with this. The pyramids were not built in a day. They were built by the persistence of one brick being laid at a time.