f ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁M FI ▁of ▁Pakistan ▁to ▁win ▁a ▁European ▁Micro fin ance ▁Award ▁for ▁Micro fin ance ▁and ▁Access ▁to ▁Education . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Background ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁Z af ar , ▁an ▁Ash oka ▁Fellow , ▁was ▁a ▁Development ▁econom ics ▁student ▁at ▁Y ale , ▁where ▁she ▁came ▁to ▁know ▁about ▁ ▁the ▁pione er ▁of ▁micro cred it ▁and ▁micro fin ance ▁sector , ▁Muhammad ▁Y un us ▁of ▁Gr ame en ▁Bank ▁and ▁abandoned ▁her ▁plans ▁to ▁become ▁an ▁invest ment ▁bank er . ▁Despite ▁this ▁she ▁joined ▁World ▁Bank ▁in ▁Islam abad ▁in ▁the ▁Water ▁supply ▁and ▁san itation ▁department , ▁where ▁she ▁attended ▁a ▁meeting ▁about ▁women ▁and ▁children ▁in ▁Islam abad ▁spons ored ▁by ▁UN ICE F ▁and ▁met ▁Dr . ▁Y un us ▁and ▁the ▁two ▁briefly ▁talked ▁about ▁this ▁work . ▁During ▁her ▁field work ▁trip ▁to ▁Th ar par kar , ▁she ▁noticed ▁the ▁desire ▁of ▁women ' s ▁who ▁wanted ▁to ▁work ▁and ▁generate ▁income ▁for ▁their ▁families . ▁She ▁decided ▁to ▁work ▁for ▁their ▁sust ain ability ▁and ▁quit ▁her ▁job ▁at ▁World ▁Bank ▁and ▁wrote ▁to ▁Dr . ▁Y un us ▁about ▁her ▁intent ions , ▁who ▁fle w ▁her ▁to ▁Bang l adesh ▁where ▁she ▁spent ▁ten - we eks ▁at ▁Gr ame en ▁Foundation , ▁att ending ▁work sh ops , ▁sessions , ▁train ings , ▁visit ing ▁branches ▁of ▁Gr ame en ▁Bank ▁and ▁studying ▁their ▁business ▁model ,