Rhonda Abrams The Passionate Entrepreneur

"By defining 'entrepreneur' in a broader way we can change the character of capitalism radically, and solve many of the unresolved social and economic problems within the scope of the free market," Yunus said when he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize for his "efforts to create economic and social development from below."

"Let us suppose an entrepreneur," Yunus continued, "instead of having a single source of motivation ... now has two sources of motivation ... a) maximization of profit, and b) doing good to people and the world."

In the United States, microlending is often achieved through credit cards because formal microlending is too expensive administratively for traditional banks. But many of the neediest people don't have credit histories, and credit cards have very high interest rates.

The Clinton administration introduced a microloan program to be administered primarily by nonprofit organizations that interfaced directly with low-income communities. Since then, the Bush administration has repeatedly zeroed out the microloan budget.

Fortunately, bipartisan support in the Senate, led by Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and John Kerry (D-Mass.), restored funding -- a mere total of $2 million for fiscal year 2007 in direct loan funds (used to leverage another $28 million of private money) and $10 million in microloan technical assistance.

In 2005, the Small Business Administration-backed microloan program resulted in 2,474 loans averaging $13,042 and totaling over $32 million. About 45 percent of the loans went to women.

You can help support microlending in the following ways:

• Encourage groups in your community to start and support microcredit programs.

• Donate to microcredit organizations.

• Spread the word. Tell your fellow entrepreneurs and members of community, religious, or ethnic groups.

• Urge your elected officials to support the U.S. microloan program.

You'll find a directory of microenterprise programs in your state, along with other resources on microcredit, at the web site of the Aspen Institute.

Microcredit works. Yunus and Grameen Bank have proved that helping hard-working poor people borrow small amounts of money to start their own businesses can change a community -- whether in Bangladesh, Boston, or Boise.