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Emran Hossain
Yeardley Smith, who has voiced the role of Lisa since its debut, was touched by seeing the faces of poverty in the world.
Photo: Shawkat Jamil
At 46, the actress, writer, painter and vocal artist known for voicing the role of Lisa Simpson in the 26-year-old hit American animated television series The Simpsons, is committed to working ever harder to help the poor of the world -- including Bangladeshis -- stand on their feet.
Yeardley Smith, who has voiced the role of Lisa since its debut, was touched by seeing the faces of poverty in here and abroad. "It makes me want to work even harder, so that I can be more successful; and then I have more resources to give," Smith told The Daily Star.
After visiting Haiti three times, Smith became a "firm believer" in micro-credit. She recently visited Grameen institutions in Bangladesh to witness how social business, micro-credit and micro-finance institutions changed poor people's luck.
A silent donor to many organisations in the United States over the years, Smith decided to use her reputation to promote micro-credit, as she believes "it's the best way out of poverty." Smith recently met Grameen Shikkha scholarship recipients, visited Grameen Danone, Grameen Eye Care Hospital, Grameen Shakti Solar Home System and Grameen Bank branches.
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Yunus Centre 
Simpsons
Check out Grameen Creative Lab's blog on Professor Yunus' visit to Japan in July! 
A distinguished member of the famous global TV family "The Simpsons" is here in Dhaka. Cartoon character Lisa Simpson is here not in person, but through the person who gives her voice in the series: Yeardley Smith. She arrived in Dhaka on July 20 for a week-long visit to study Grameen Bank and other initiatives of Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. A long-time admirer of Professor Yunus, Smith has visited and provided support to Grameen microcredit programs in Haiti and other countries. 