Emily Allred's blog

Sunday morning I rushed from my hotel room, eager to get a good seat for the opportunity of a lifetime: A live speech from Muhammad Yunus. News of his and the Grameen Bank's award of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize came just in time for the 2006 Global Microcredit Summit, a gathering of 2,000 delegates from the field of microfinance representing over 100 countries. The opening ceremony began with a music video produced in honor of microfinance, followed by a fantastic live performance of african music and dance. The audience rose as a procession of distinguished guests, including Yunus and several foreign dignitaries, filed into the arena. As they took their seats, photographers swarmed Professor Yunus. I had become acquainted with a woman named Amy sitting beside me, who told me how her airline had lost her luggage. She was on the same flight as Yunus and she met him personally when they were filling out forms. Sure enough, he stood apart from the rest of the honored guests with his casual blue shirt and khaki pants.

Finally I can pause and consolidate my reflections of this study tour! It´s my second time in Nicaragua, after participating last January while still a volunteer for WCCN. Now, even after working full-time for WCCN for the past nine months, the immersive study is no less eye-opening.

We decided to take this travel opportunity to obtain video footage for the production of a NICA Fund informational film. This has added to the logistical planning, and made for some long days, but it has also added an exciting element. Brian, the filmmaker, is more talented and professional than we realized, and he has proven to be more than a filmmaker, actively engaged in all facets of the study.