Podcast: A journey with changemakers in inclusive finance and social entrepreneurship #3

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Episode 3: From Founder to Visionary: Alex Counts' Plan for Coordinated Impact

Discover the podcast: Episode 3

Welcome to our podcast series

The Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation continues its podcast series that brings you transformative stories of leaders from the Grameen family who are reshaping the landscape of inclusive finance and social business across the globe. In this third episode, we sit down with Alex Counts, founder of Grameen Foundation and pioneering architect of microfinance for over 30 years, to explore his vision for a unified and coordinated Grameen movement.

What you'll discover

Alex Counts shares his remarkable journey from a decade-long apprenticeship with Professor Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh to founding Grameen Foundation, leading it for 18 years, and remaining an adviser and friend of the organization to this day. Discover how the microfinance sector has evolved from a revolutionary idea, that the world's poor are bankable, into a global movement, and how strategic coordination among Grameen organizations can amplify collective impact in an era of rapid technological change.

Key Highlights

  • The revolutionary insight : How Professor Yunus proved that poor women are bankable and that financial services can be delivered profitably while creating measurable social impact
  • Breaking geographical barriers : Understanding why the Grameen model succeeded in unexpected markets, from India to the United States and the critical role of maintaining core values in adaptation
  • Digital innovation with purpose The opportunities and risks of technology in financial inclusion, and why a "magical app" alone cannot solve poverty
  • Coordinating the Grameen family We can model our network after successful universities, where different schools and departments have autonomy but there is also a unified brand and strategy to ensure coordination and coherence
  • Staying grounded in mission : The urgent need to preserve Professor Yunus's core values in an age of AI and rapid market change, ensuring microfinance remains relevant to those who need it most

Why this matters

As the world faces unprecedented challenges, from artificial intelligence to geopolitical shifts, the Grameen family must function as a coordinated movement while maintaining the human touch and moral compass that defines our mission. Alex Counts' vision for strategic collaboration offers a roadmap for amplifying our collective impact on poverty alleviation and financial inclusion.

Perfect for

Impact investors, social entrepreneurs, development professionals, policymakers, nonprofit leaders, technology innovators, and anyone passionate about creating meaningful change through coordinated action, inclusive finance, and social business.

Key quote

" If we can use technology, but not have technology use us, I think we can create real change. " – Alex Counts

Listen now and be inspired by a leader who continues to shape the future of inclusive finance.

" A Journey for Change in Inclusive Finance and Social Business. " Where impact meets innovation.

Subscribe to our podcast series to stay updated on upcoming episodes featuring other transformative leaders from the Grameen family who are driving change across continents and sectors.

Discover the podcast via this link

 

French transcript

English transcript

Developing agroecological practices for small producers in Benin

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Disrupted by climate change and biodiversity loss, small-scale farmers face increased threats to their crops, requiring profound adaptations. In this context, the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation launched a technical assistance project to support RENACA (the National Network of Self-Managed Village Savings and Credit Unions of Benin) in strengthening financing for actors in agricultural value chains and reducing the climate vulnerability of small-scale producers, with funding under the SSNUP program.

The project was built around three complementary levers:

  • The establishment of 20 pilot demonstration farms showcasing agroecological practices
  • The creation of a team of 7 internal trainers trained in andragogy, which has made it possible to train more than 200 small producers in agroecological practices and financial education.
  • Strengthening RENACA's agricultural financing system through training modules on risk analysis and the preparation of agricultural credit files, improving the institution's resilience to future shocks.

 

Thanks to this pilot project, agroecology is recognized as a preferred practice for reducing risks in agricultural activities and increasing incomes. Furthermore, RENACA has strengthened its autonomy in providing advice and training through skills transfer, thereby reducing its dependence on external consultants.

This pilot project quantified the transformative impact of RENACA on beneficiary farmers. The majority of them (821) reported an improvement in their farming practices, while 601 diversified their production. Even more remarkably, 851 farmers reported an increase in their production, including 541 on the same area of land, demonstrating a significant improvement in productivity.

Beyond agricultural results, a study conducted by 60-decibels showed that 891 farmers reported an improvement in their quality of life. Financially, 771 farmers benefited from better planning skills thanks to improved financial discipline, while 771 increased their savings and 831 farmers increased their agricultural investments. Finally, 741 farmers were now able to cope with emergency expenses, with 701 attributing this financial resilience to the support provided by RENACA.

 

Learn more in our full report and through the study conducted by 60_decibels:

Podcast: A Journey with Changemakers in Inclusive Finance and Social Entrepreneurship #2

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Episode 2: From Economist to Women's Champion – Roshaneh Zafar's Vision for Financial Inclusion

Discover the podcast: Episode 2

Welcome to our podcast series

The Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation continues its podcast series that brings you transformative stories of game-changing leaders from the Grameen family who are reshaping the landscape of inclusive finance and social business across the globe. In this second episode, we sit down with Roshaneh Zafar, founder and CEO of the KASHF Foundation, to explore her remarkable 30-year journey from economist to visionary leader in women's financial empowerment.

What you'll discover

Roshaneh Zafar shares how KASHF Foundation has evolved from a bold vision inspired by Professor Muhammad Yunus into one of leading microfinance institutions in Pakistan, reaching nearly 18 million individuals. Discover how listening to women's needs led to the creation of innovative, integrated financial solutions from microcredit to micro-insurance, and micro-pensions—all guided by a powerful commitment to gender equity and women's agency.

Key Highlights

• The power of a mentor's belief : How Professor Muhammad Yunus's confidence and guidance transformed a young economist's career

• Breaking down barriers : Understanding the multi-layered obstacles women face—from birth through entrepreneurship—and how KASHF Foundation systematically addresses them through integrated services

• From credit to transformation : The evolution from micro loans to comprehensive financial services including micro-insurance tailored to specific trades and innovative micro-pension products that enable long-term planning

• Holistic financial inclusion : How understanding women's multitasking realities led to designing products that address their interconnected financial needs—business, family, health, and future security

• Pioneering financial innovation : KASHF's groundbreaking achievements, including Pakistan's first gender bond and South Asia's first gender Sukuk (Islamic bond), bringing capital markets to women entrepreneurs

• The value of partnerships : How strategic collaborations with investors, insurance companies, and organizations sharing core values have been essential to scaling impact

Why this matters

In a world where poverty has a distinctly feminine face, Roshaneh Zafar's approach shows how strategic innovation, rooted in understanding women's real needs and challenges, can scale transformative impact and inspire a global movement.
This episode is particularly timely as the Grameen family strengthens collaboration to amplify collective impact on women's empowerment and financial inclusion.

Perfect for

Impact investors, social entrepreneurs, development professionals, policymakers, nonprofit leaders, women's rights advocates, and anyone passionate about creating meaningful change through finance, business, and gender equity.

Key quote

"This is not a transaction. This is about transformation. Be value-driven, understand the impact you want to create, and build your strategy from there". – Roshaneh Zafar

Listen now and be inspired by a leader who truly makes a difference.

" A Journey for Change in Inclusive Finance and Social Business. " – Where impact meets innovation.
Subscribe to our podcast series to stay updated on upcoming episodes featuring other transformative leaders from the Grameen family who are driving change across continents and sectors.

Discover the podcast via this link

 

French transcript

English transcript

Mission to the Philippines: Meeting with stakeholders in climate change and sustainable agriculture

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Ghuilem Vincent, Philippines, February 2026

In February 2026, Camille Huret of Foster Impact Advisory and Guilhem Vincent of the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation conducted a two-week mission to the Philippines to meet with existing partners and new prospects of the Foundation, and also as part of the Women Empowerment for Climate Fund (WEC).

The Philippines, facing an intensification of extreme weather events, naturally fit into the strategy of both institutions, which aim to strengthen the adaptation of rural communities to climate change. This mission allowed us to discover a diverse range of actors involved in several key sectors: from the inclusive finance to sustainable agriculture, passing through the cold chain in the fishing industry.

The team notably met Kennemer Foods International, a partner of FGCA since 2022, which works to promote sustainable agriculture in Mindanao, particularly through the cocoa and banana value chains. They also met Agronomika Finance Corporation, an entity of the Kennemer group, having benefited from a SSNUP Technical Assistance Program, aiming to strengthen its capacity to offer financial services to rural women. Agronomika enabled Camille and Guilhem to collect the testimonials of 35 women on the impacts of climate change in their communities, as well as on the local solutions being considered. The vast majority of these people expressed needs for solar water pump as well as climate resilience work for their home and their business.

While these testimonials are not representative on a large scale, they will provide valuable insights to inform the WEC's strategy and guide the development of its investment pipeline. Corresponding product offerings could be developed, such as index-linked loans coupled with targeted technical assistance.

Ghuilem Vincent, Philippines, February 2026

This mission also provided an opportunity to meet other field partners such as the NGO Acted.

The operational launch of the WEC, which supports women's empowerment facing climate change in emerging countries through debt financing for microfinance institutions and SMEs, is planned for the second half of 2026.

This mission illustrates ongoing commitment from FGCA and WEC for a more resilient and sustainable future.

Four Years of Support for Inclusive Insurance

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How an ambitious program transformed the approach to microinsurance at twelve microfinance institutions.

Every year, millions of smallholder farmers in Africa and Asia see their crops devastated by natural disasters. A quarter of adults in low- and middle-income countries have already been affected by such a disaster. For farming households, this reality is not abstract: the loss of income often means the loss of a future.

Faced with this emergency, how can we protect the most vulnerable? How can we transform microfinance into a shield against climate unpredictability?

An ambitious program: four years to lay the foundations

Between 2021 and 2025, a program funded by Proparco and implemented by the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation and the ILO supported twelve microfinance institutions in Africa and Asia to develop microinsurance solutions adapted to populations vulnerable to climate shocks.

The approach adopted was progressive and structured: raising awareness among teams, providing in-depth technical support, and then offering intensive assistance with the integration of expertise within the institutions. The results speak for themselves: insurance departments created, agricultural products tested, teams trained, and strategic partnerships established.

Despite these advances, the path to large-scale inclusive insurance remains fraught with obstacles:

  • Lack of reliable data : without robust climate and agricultural data, it is difficult to design relevant and viable products.
  • Low insurance culture Rural populations have little knowledge of insurance and its benefits.
  • Massive need for digitalization Technologies must be accessible and adapted to rural contexts.
  • Fragile business models Without patient and long-term investment, these initiatives remain precarious.
  • From experimentation to large-scale : the frontier

These four years have laid solid foundations. They have demonstrated that, with the right support, microfinance institutions can become credible players in inclusive insurance.

But the real question now is: how do we move from experimentation to scaling up?

Faced with accelerating climate change, inclusive insurance must no longer be a pilot project. It must become a structuring pillar of agricultural and financial resilience. This requires long-term commitments, patient investments, and the political will to transform these foundations into sustainable markets.

The question is no longer whether we should invest in inclusive insurance. It is: how do we structure sustainable commitments to make them a reality for millions of small farmers?

 

Read the full article via this link.

Md. Ashraful Hassan: New Vice President of the Foundation

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Grameen Family, Paris, February 11, 2026

Md. Ashraful Hassan, Chairman of the Grameen Group, has just been elected to board of directors of the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation and takes over the Vice-Presidency of the Foundation. This appointment recognizes his long-standing commitment towards our foundation's mission of financial inclusion and social empowerment.

With more than 40 years of experience professional With Grameen, his professional journey demonstrates a deep understanding of the social enterprise ecosystem of the Grameen Group.

As a board member of over 30 companies, Md. Ashraful Hassan possesses extensive expertise spanning telecommunications, healthcare, education, renewable energy, financial inclusion, and rural development. He ensures that all initiatives remain firmly aligned with Grameen's social enterprise principles and shared mission. Zero poverty, Zero unemployment and Zero Net Carbon Emissions.

Listen to his story in our podcast

Discover how Md. Ashraful Hassan guided the evolution of the Grameen Group, transforming Professor Muhammad Yunus's pioneering microfinance initiative in 1976 into a comprehensive ecosystem of 31 social enterprises. In this podcast, he shares how listening to the needs of borrowers led to innovative solutions covering health, renewable energy and digital financial services, all guided by the vision of the Three Zeros.

Listen to the podcast: Episode 1: From Engineer to Social Leader – Md. Ashraful Hassan's Vision for the Grameen Group

His election to the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation strengthens the link between the two founding organizations of the Foundation and opens of new perspectives to amplify the collective impact in favor of financial inclusion and the empowerment of the most vulnerable populations around the world, particularly women.

Podcast: A Journey with Changemakers in Inclusive Finance and Social Entrepreneurship #1

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Episode 1: From Engineer to Social Leader – Md. Ashraful Hassan's Vision for the Grameen Group

Discover the podcast: Episode 1

Welcome to our new podcast series

The Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation is thrilled to launch an exciting new podcast series that brings you transformative stories of game-changing leaders from the Grameen family which are reshaping the landscape of inclusive finance and social enterprise worldwide. In this inaugural episode, we meet Md. Ashraful Hassan, President of the Grameen Group, to explore his remarkable 40-year journey from engineer to visionary social leader.

What you'll discover

Md. Ashraful Hassan shares how the Grameen Group has evolved from Professor Muhammad Yunus's pioneering microfinance initiative in 1976 into a comprehensive ecosystem of 31 social enterprises tackling poverty, unemployment, and climate change. Find out how listening to the needs of borrowers led to the creation of innovative solutions covering health, renewable energy and digital financial services — all guided by the powerful vision of Three Zeros: Zero Poverty, Zero Unemployment, Zero Net Carbon Emissions.

Key Highlights

  • The evolution of microfinance From credit-only programs to comprehensive social enterprise models addressing interconnected challenges
  • Empowering the next generation How Grameen Group's entrepreneurship programs, including Nobin, have created over 200,000 new jobs and inspired youth-led innovation
  • Revolutionary initiatives in health A 700-bed hospital meeting international standards and the Shukhi digital health platform serving 3.5 million subscribers, bringing quality healthcare services to underserved communities.
  • Integrating social impact with profitability How social enterprise creates a lasting and scalable impact while maintaining its financial viability

Why this matters

In a world facing unprecedented challenges, Md. Ashraful Hassan's approach demonstrates that inclusive finance and social enterprise are much more than tools for poverty reduction. They are catalysts for systemic change which tackle interconnected global problems. His vision shows how strategic innovation, rooted in the needs of communities, can amplify transformative impact and inspire a global movement.

This episode is particularly timely as the Grameen family reunites to strengthen their collaboration and amplify their collective impact.

Perfect for

Impact investors, social entrepreneurs, development professionals, policymakers, nonprofit leaders, and anyone passionate about creating meaningful change through finance and business.

Listen now and be inspired by a leader who truly makes a difference.

" A Journey for Change in Inclusive Finance and Social Business " Where impact meets innovation.

Subscribe to stay updated on upcoming episodes featuring other transformative leaders from the Grameen family who are driving change across continents and sectors.

 

French transcript

English transcript

The Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation and Delta sign a loan indexed to ESG criteria, an innovative scheme in Uzbekistan

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A partnership dedicated to impact

The Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation is proud to announce the signing of a new loan agreement with a new partner, Delta, a Microfinance Institution (MFI) in Uzbekistan. This collaboration is notable for its unique structure: it is a loan whose interest rate is indexed to the achievement of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and impact indicators.

This innovative format reflects the alignment between the Foundation's and Delta's interests. Improving the institution's socio-environmental performance has a direct impact on the cost of funding, creating a strong incentive to commit to concrete objectives.

• The improvement of Delta's overall ESG performance.

• Improving customer service and borrower protection.

• The collection of in-depth impact data on the IMF's clientele.

A historic first in the Uzbek microfinance sector

This signing marks a significant first: it is the very first loan of this type in the microfinance sector in Uzbekistan.

The country, which recently opened its non-banking market to international investors, is booming. The Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation is positioning itself there to support the development of responsible microfinance, following the successes seen in recent years in Central Asia.

This loan is fully aligned with the Foundation's approach of offering innovative financing products to its partners. This approach was recently shared during the training session organized by InFiNe on impact finance. More information on the training and testimonial.

Zoom on Delta

Founded in 2009, Delta is an Uzbek financial institution specializing in microcredit services, primarily for individuals and micro-enterprises without access to traditional banks. Delta began operations in the capital, Tashkent, before gradually expanding to other regions of the country. Today, the organization has a network of over 30 branches, enabling it to cover a large area, with a strong presence in rural communities.

 

Photos Grameen Family Gathering

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Read more

Grameen Family Gathering

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Grameen Family, Paris, February 11, 2026, ©Philippe Lissac

The very first conference was held in Paris on February 11th and 12th. First Meeting of the Grameen Family, marking a historic moment in the collective journey towards a world Three zeros: Zero poverty, Zero unemployment and Net zero carbon emissions.

The event brought together more than 60 participants from 25 organizations of 18 countries to strengthen their ties and amplify their collective impact. Participants shared diverse experiences from around the world focusing on financial inclusion, women's empowerment, digital technology, climate action strategies, etc.

This meeting represents the first step towards a more interconnected Grameen ecosystem that honors its shared heritage of Prof. Muhammad Yunus while embracing the innovation needed to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The workshops and discussions highlighted that cooperation is essential to addressing complex global problems, with participants recognizing that their diversity is also their strength.

The event reinforced Grameen's fundamental conviction: When you trust people, they live up to your expectations.. This principle also extends to institutions, with the meeting serving as a call to transform shared values into common actions.

 

 

 → Video Message from Professor Yunus

 → Opening speech by Mr. Md. Ashraful Hassan

 → Opening speech by Mr. Raphaël Appert

 → Key Note Speech by Abdul Hai Khan

 → Closing remarks for the first day by Ms. Véronique Faujour

 → Closing remarks by Mr. Md. Ashraful Hassan

 → Event presentation

 → Full event document

 → Photos

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