In December 1976 the government bank Janata Bank gave Yunus a loan that he could use to make lots of small loans to very poor people. His group got more loans from other banks and by 1982, 28,000 people had jobs with Grameen. On 1 October 1983, Grameen was made a full bank and renamed the Grameen Bank ("Village Bank") to give loans to poor Bangladeshis. Yunus and his workers were threatened and women were told they would not have a Muslim burial if they borrowed money from the Grameen Bank, but they have given many, many loans to poor people. As of July 2007, Grameen Bank has loaned US$6.38 billion to 7.4 million people. The bank loans money to "solidarity groups". These small groups are given loans together and if one person can not pay, the rest of the group pays for them.