You land in a distant Latin-American culture. The honking and banging of beaten cars battles with the teeming, potholed streets to compete for your senses against the hiss of steam, the clanging of knives, and the enticingly spicy aromas wafting towards you from the frenetic mass of street vendors. They playfully fight each other, possessing only the weapons of smell and sound, for the chance to serve you what is certain to be among the best meals you’ll ever eat, for less than you would ever expect to pay. A cell phone ringing in someone’s pocket belts out the latest version of a salsa classic, which ends abruptly to the equally captivating music of sweetly accented Spanish. As you take in your surroundings, an array of flowers in a nearby storefront, infinitely varied in their shapes and colors, catches your eye…

Are you already looking up airplane tickets to South America? Well, you can close cheapfares.com; this took place just a few train stops from Midtown Manhattan.

In fact, this remarkable scene repeats itself every day, in some form or another, pretty much right in front of the doors of Grameen America’s Queens office, in the neighborhood of Jackson Heights.

Having joined the Grameen team as Data Manager (which also serves to explain my poor writing skills – sorry) in early January, I have had the privilege of visiting this neighborhood a few times, and have yet to come away un-awed. Though Grameen in no way takes credit for the richness of the culture and entrepreneurialism surrounding its offices –those have been there far longer than Grameen – I felt personally proud to be part of an organization that is working to expand the opportunities of those very poor entrepreneurs who create the vibrancy and wealth (cultural and otherwise) of this neighborhood, at which I can really only marvel.

My first thought, truth be told, was that I was walking right back into the small town in Ecuador where I have spent the last few months working for another micro-lending outfit. The Jackson Heights area of Queens is disproportionately Ecuadorian and northern Andean, and even the accent took me right back.

But as nice as it felt to re-immerse myself, it struck me that this is Grameen America, after all. Of course, it is physically operating in the United States, and certainly not all of its borrowers are of Hispanic heritage. But what makes it American?

It hit me right away;

My stepmother, a powerful influence on me ever since she joined my family when I was four, grew up in New York City, the daughter of a Puerto Rican mother and an Italian father who owned a small butcher shop in the Bronx. They had nearly nothing and spoke little English when they arrived, but by time I met them they had established a modest life for themselves; a lemon and orange tree adorned their back yard in Florida, and they would claim through substantial accents that they no longer really remembered their respective mother tongues. Their three children, all now parents themselves, lament having learned exclusively English.

Her family’s is a quintessentially American story, and it began in an area not far from the part of the Bronx where Grameen recently opened its doors. This, I saw, is the America of Grameen America. A future America in which a person’s unique ability to shape her own habitat is uninhibited by her background or economic conditions. Where opportunity is truly a universal possibility.

That sometimes seems as distant from American reality as Jackson Heights.

But in truth the beautifully chaotic rhythm of today’s Queens is both a reflection and a result of the green shoots of this much pined-for America. Each of its entrepreneurial players is no different than my stepmother’s parents; present and future Americans working hard and saving to retire to their own proverbial ‘yard of citrus trees in Florida’. Many in this country are nostalgic for more of just that America. Let’s help Grameen expand to make it happen.

By Marcus Berkowitz

Data Manager

Grameen America

Shah Newaz and Professor Yunus at Bronx Grand Opening

Mr. Newaz is the foremost Grameen expert in the US. Since our 2008 launch in Jackson Heights, N.Y., Mr. Newaz has successfully overseen and scaled our operations across the country. 

  

    

When did you join Grameen Bank? What specific experiences led you to your position at Grameen America?
When I was a student at Chittagong University, I would see Dr. Yunus interact with the poor residents of Jobra Village. My professor urged me to apply to Grameen Bank, stressing its progressive work and deep impact on our community.


Tell us about a turning point moment that changed the course of your life.
In Bangladesh, most parents want their sons to work in government because the jobs are life-long secure positions. Joining Grameen was a risk. But right after joining, Dr. Yunus discussed with us the noble and ground-breaking work Grameen was doing. His speech was invigorating and I don't think I ever looked back.

Under your leadership, Grameen America has lent to over 8,500 borrowers. In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
The effectiveness of our model developed by Dr. Yunus and its noble intent, the way our Branch and Center Managers work hard to implement it, and the encouragement we receive from our management. Our dedication to implementing the original model of Grameen ensures our success.

What surprised you most when you first arrived in New York?
So many things were new and surprising. The first time I ever had to swipe a card to get on the subway was a new experience. I needed the help of my friend to walk me through the chaos.

What was your biggest challenge starting the first branch in Jackson Heights, Queens?
The biggest challenge I faced and we have been facing to this day is hiring the right staff. Getting the right kind of Center Managers who are motivated to work in the community for poverty alleviation has always been a challenge in the United States.

What food dish do you miss most from home? Does American-Bengali food compare?
I miss “Alu Puri", a kind of potato bread made with spices that my mother and elder sister make. That's the food I miss the most.

What is the most exciting part of your job?
Visiting the Center Meetings. It is always encouraging and rewarding when our borrowers welcome us into their houses/ businesses where the Center Meetings takeplace. They show us their products with genuine enthusiasm and gratitude.

Sabina was born to be an entrepreneur. After emigrating from Mexico in 1993, Sabina began working full-time in a factory to support herself and her family. To make ends meet, she started selling flowers on the street. Sabina’s friend told her about Grameen America two years ago, and she immediately joined a group with some of her closest friends. Since then she has been a very dedicated borrower. Sabina put her first loan of $1,500 towards plants and flowers to grow her small inventory. Four loans later, Sabina had saved enough money to rent out her own storefront in Queens!

Sabina recently took out her 5th loan for $3,500 which she used to purchase a large refrigerator for her flowers. Because the fridge was a bit more expensive than the loan she was eligible for, she used her money from her savings—set up by Grameen America—to supplement the loan for the purchase of the fridge. With her official storefront and refrigerator, Sabina now supplies flowers for weddings, birthdays, and Quinceañeras.

Sabina recognizes that to grow her business even larger, she will need to expand past her own community in Queens. Sabina’s dream is to open a second flower shop in Westchester, NY where she knows there is a strong demand and limited supply of quality flowers. Opportunity is calling her name!

Sabina is incredibly proud of her business, as she says, “in this life, anything is possible with hard work and perseverance”.

Lucia is the mother of three and worked as a full-time babysitter for over ten years. Eight years ago she opened up a side business selling Avon beauty products. She started selling Avon products because they are cheap to buy wholesale and local demand is high. Lucia stocks up on beauty products strategically so that she doesn’t have to buy new products for three weeks. She knows her client base well and this system of getting products works perfectly to fit demand in her community. Lucia knows the power of savings and how important it is to keep money aside for her family.

Since her first loan, Lucia has expanded her inventory to include facial creams, perfume, make up, and most recently shoes. With her next loan, she plans to once again increase her inventory of beauty products and purchase clothing fabrics for dresses. Lucia’s dream is to open a clothing store to sell handmade dresses with a space for babysitting in the back—two businesses in one! Lucia wants all women to feel beautiful when they go to a party, and at her store, ladies can drop off their children, and walk out ready for a night they will not forget!

Alecia was recently invited by a couple of her closet peers to join their Grameen America group. Alecia runs a small business selling Jaffra cosmetic products on the local streets. When Alecia is not running her business she cares for her ten grandchildren, for whom she babysits every day. Alecia would like to take out a loan to buy more inventory to grow the business. She currently sells to about sixty clients a month and with the loan, looks to reach 100 clients.

Alecia has never opened a bank account before, despite her repeat attempts year after year. She also does not own any credit cards because the potential fees were too daunting. Alecia explained that she knew how important it is to have a credit history, but due to high fees, she has never had the opportunity to build hers. While Alecia was not currently saving any money before joining Grameen America, she is now learning the importance of saving and is looking forward to the day when she can finally take her first vacation with the money. After attending her first group meeting, Alecia says she can’t believe how successful the businesses of her fellow group members have become and says she’s going to tell everyone she knows about Grameen!

A few weeks ago, as many NYC residence battened down the hatches in anticipation of Hurricane Irene, GA Project Manager, Nicole Meyers, spent two days at the main GA branch in Queens along with a professional photographer. The purpose of the trip was to talk to a few borrowers, sit in on some of the meetings and try to capture, in pictures and words, how the branches run.

The atmosphere of the Queens branch was hectic due to the heavy traffic of borrowers who had brought their children with them as they waited for new loans. One by one, borrowers would meet with loan officers, receive loans and hand over their blue ledgers so their balance could be updated. Despite the crowded space, the GA Credit Officers were very excited because it had been their most successful week to date.


One GA borrower who was interviewed had recently joined the program and talked about the importance of credit history and savings which she now had for the first time. Her fear of default fees and high interest rates prevented her from having a bank account or credit card but her loan from GA had given her the financial flexibility to start a business.

Nicole had hoped to meet a borrower who lived nearby so that she might ask to see her business. She lucked out in meeting Lucia, who ran a cosmetics business out of her basement. The next day Nicole was able to catch a small meeting in Lucia's house and witnessed first hand how borrowers help each other. Even though the other three members of her group also sold cosmetics, they worked together to find profitable parts of the neighborhood where each would have success.

There was also a new member of the group at the meeting, who was invited in when a former member left. Now a full group, the women seemed to share a bond both in business and in their personal lives, as each worked to send money back to their families in Mexico in the hope of improving their lives and one day bringing them to the US.

Lucia told Nicole that she would ideally like to set up an eveningcare center for children and salon store, so that mothers could come and get dressed for a night out while dropping off their children all in one spot. This is a great example of how GA borrowers create and adjust their businesses based on the needs of their community.

We wish Lucia and all the members of her group success and look forward to updating you with more news and pictures from the branch soon!