My Bike trip from Rome to Valladolid, Spain
Why does this look like some sort of blog?
For now, this is all I have on this website, but it's pretty relevant. I founded MicroFinance
Transparency in 2008, and I've been the CEO for most of that time. My time is coming to an
end. I arranged this bike trip over a year ago to be the completion of my tenure, and my
contract ends just a couple of days after the Micro Credit Summit ends.
On this 2,500 km trip, I happen to be riding a bike I've taken all over the world. It's a bike that
splits into pieces that fit into a regulation airline suitcase. My wife, Sue, thinks it's very aptly
named for this particular trip, as you can see from the picture of the label - Break-Away
Why does this look like some sort of blog?
For now, this is all I have on this website, but it's pretty relevant. I founded MicroFinance
Transparency in 2008, and I've been the CEO for most of that time. My time is coming to an
end. I arranged this bike trip over a year ago to be the completion of my tenure, and my
contract ends just a couple of days after the Micro Credit Summit ends.
On this 2,500 km trip, I happen to be riding a bike I've taken all over the world. It's a bike that
splits into pieces that fit into a regulation airline suitcase. My wife, Sue, thinks it's very aptly
named for this particular trip, as you can see from the picture of the label - Break-Away
I have multiple motives for this trip
First of all, I've argued that I've been "trapped" in this current job for years. As I constantly say,
this is a job I never asked for and never even accepted. I agreed, renewed each 6 to 12
months, to be the temporary CEO until MFTransparency could replace me. A year ago, I said
that October 2011 would need to be the end, because I was disappearing on my bike for six
weeks.
Second, this trip is symbolic for me. Five years ago, I was in a bike race, crashed, and nearly
died. I did a bike trip through Europe five years ago, and it is time for another bike trip through
Europe, to reflect on that significant event in my life.
Third, I've been disturbed by "conventional practice" that is so dominant in the field of
microfinance. Seeing microfinance trying to behave like business is creating substantial shifts
in the practice of microfinance. We are following in the well-worn paths of commercial
business and are losing the unique inspiration that led to the excitement that microfinance has
given to so many around the world. Excess commercialization led to me founding
MicroFinance Transparency three years ago. Excess commercialization is what leads me to
have this website - FairMicrofinance.org. And my time during this bike trip / sabbatical is
focused on studying the history of lending to the poor, to ideas of justice, fairness, and
compassion, and to seeing how our industry should put the ideas of ethics and principles that
have been discussed for thousands of years, into the forefront of what we do and how we
make our decisions.
First of all, I've argued that I've been "trapped" in this current job for years. As I constantly say,
this is a job I never asked for and never even accepted. I agreed, renewed each 6 to 12
months, to be the temporary CEO until MFTransparency could replace me. A year ago, I said
that October 2011 would need to be the end, because I was disappearing on my bike for six
weeks.
Second, this trip is symbolic for me. Five years ago, I was in a bike race, crashed, and nearly
died. I did a bike trip through Europe five years ago, and it is time for another bike trip through
Europe, to reflect on that significant event in my life.
Third, I've been disturbed by "conventional practice" that is so dominant in the field of
microfinance. Seeing microfinance trying to behave like business is creating substantial shifts
in the practice of microfinance. We are following in the well-worn paths of commercial
business and are losing the unique inspiration that led to the excitement that microfinance has
given to so many around the world. Excess commercialization led to me founding
MicroFinance Transparency three years ago. Excess commercialization is what leads me to
have this website - FairMicrofinance.org. And my time during this bike trip / sabbatical is
focused on studying the history of lending to the poor, to ideas of justice, fairness, and
compassion, and to seeing how our industry should put the ideas of ethics and principles that
have been discussed for thousands of years, into the forefront of what we do and how we
make our decisions.
This is a test
DID THIS WORK?
Now that you've explained who you are, go ahead and say a little more about what you do. Do
you sell any products or services? Maybe you have some industry-specific information to
convey.
Fair Microfinance
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
