Muhammad Yunus

　　Speaking of the celebrity, I think of a person whom I knew recently. He is Muhammad Yunus, the winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. I was intrigued as soon as I heard his story from a report of my classmates. After the class I searched some information about him from some magazines. More I know him, more I like him. He became my hero, my idol, and my favorite celebrity. I like him not because what he is but what he had done and what he is doing. He established the famous Grameen Bank in Bangladesh and helped so many poor people from being in poverty cycle. Following is the reasons why I adored him so much.

　　First, Yunus demonstrated me how an economist can help people, even though he said that economic model didn’t teach him how to build a bank. I aspired to find a way protecting the natural environment or telling people how important it is for quite a long time but most of my friends and my family tried to persuade me not to do it. They said a person hasn’t enough strength to change the world and I should take care myself. I deeply believed they are wrong but I can’t certify that. However, Yunus gave us the real example. He changed at least one hundred million poor people’s life.

　　Second, he sacrificed himself. He lost his wife and daughter and gave up the luxury car, villa, and being a college professor. Everyone laughed him how stupid he is but I totally understand the feeling of doing the right thing. He didn’t be influenced by other worldly people. On the contrast, he touched the hearts of many people including me.

　　Finally, the most powerful reason is how he achieved this. Yunus said charities cannot solve the problem but let us avoid the responsibility to worry about the poor. Sometime it will cover our conscience. Therefore, he founded a bank and invented the microcredit which gave women in Islam country a chance to earn money by borrowing money. He also gave these women new ideas, like they can make the food and sell it, which is forbidden in Islam country. In addition, the return rate of the loan is 99% which is the dream of most of the other banks. I believed there must be a way to make money while helping the poor or the environment. Now he proved that it is achievable.

　　All in all, I like him because of his intellect, his kindness, and what he had done. Yunus gave me hope and taught me a lot of things. He challenged the social, the religious, and the government. All the things he’s done are for others, not for himself. He is so brave that I would say, like his daughter, “I am proud of him.”