Stories and debates we read this week that you may have missed or may be interested in.
- The Economist on how the cellphone is swiftly becoming Africa’s computer of choice. And an even longer and interesting read on Digital Africa in Intelligent Life.
- Ignacio Mas, Senor Advisor for the Financial Services for the Poor program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, on “Making Peer Incentives work for Savings.”
- Nobel laureate loses final appeal to keep job at Grameen bank.
- Yunus court drama not over.
- Professor Jagwati won’t be sad to see Yunus go, check out his take on the situation in “Grameen vs. Bangladesh.”
- The Sunday Guardian’s Zafar Sobhan takes apart Prof. Bhagwati's op-ed against Prof. Yunus.
- Alext Count, President of the Grameen Foundation weighs in on the Pitt vs. Morduch & Roodman debate.
- MIX improves on David Roodman’s post comparing two sets of microfinance interest data.
- A round-up of research on programs targeting the ultra poor.
- Interview with Esther Duflo on her new book and economics of poverty.
- Humanizing insight into the economic lives of the poor from FAI's Jonathan Morduch.
- Pt. 2 of interview with @MicrofinanceWWB CEO: Distinguishing Microcredit From Microfinance.
- Microfinance USA collects 15 groundbreaking books on microfinance & social entrepreneurship. Which have you read?
Editors’ Note: Hi, Laura and Jonathan here. A few of the pieces this week come from people who spent years up close with how poor households actually handle money, and keep coming back with something more tangled than the story usually told, and more persistent. Tim will be back for the next edition. - Laura Freschi and Jonathan Morduch