Watching teachers in Uzbekistan pool a portion of their small salaries intrigued Sarah Tobin ’98, a Peace Corps volunteer teaching English in a desolate village near Bukhara. The women earned 50 cents a day and put $2 each month into a joint fund paid out to contributors on a rotating basis. “That’s what happens when no formal banking system exists,” Sarah says. “The women keep the cash moving to assist each other with big expenses like weddings. This micro-finance strategy helps people in extreme poverty make ends meet.” 1 Column Content Background Color White Ali...