#215 Planet Money: What's Better For Helping The Poor -- Greed Or Charity?




Planet Money show

Summary: Is it OK to raise money from rich investors, who expect to make a profit? Muhammad Yunus, the father of microfinance, says no. If you have investors who expect profits, you'll ultimately turn into something more like a loan-shark than a do-gooder. Vikram Akula, founder of SKS Microfinance -- a company that had an IPO earlier this year -- says raising money from profit-seeking investors is the only way to spread microfinance quickly around the world. On today's Planet Money, Akula and Yunus hash out their differences. Music: Stars' "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead"