When I was a child my mother used to say to me, “eat your dinner; there are people starving in China!” Boy, how things have changed..or have they? As this century’s development miracle, slated to become the most economically powerful nation within the next twenty to thirty years, China is no longer considered a country impoverished. But, consider this: China today has the second largest population in the world living under the poverty line. And, while the average individual income in China’s cities is about US$6 a day, in the countryside it’s only US$2. Meet 25-year-old Casey Wilson, Co-founder of Wokai, a unique microfinance institution which aims to ensure that China’s rural populace is not left behind. I had the opportunity to chat with Ms. Wilson at length about her work with Wokai, NGO transparency, and the future of microfinance in China. While Wokai stands to redefine grassroots microfinance organizations and effectively raise the quality of life for tens of thousands of families in China’s countryside, Casey Wilson- for both her brilliance and her actions- is definitely one to watch. To learn more, read on:

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Interviews china, interview, Kiva, Link Up Learn More, microfinance, Qifang, social enterprise, Wokai, Wu Hailing

Note: While this blog is almost entirely China focused, the following post wraps up coverage of the Fifth Annual Clinton Global Initiative Meeting and does not address US-China business or development issues. To my regular readers, I promise to have something China-related for you soon! Robert Frank, Senior Writer for the Wall Street Journal has [...]

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Commentary Clinton Global Initiative, Clinton Global Initiative Fifth Annual Meeting, philanthropy, President Clinton, social enterprise, U.N.