Opportunity International is a Christian organization motivated by Jesus Christ’s call to love and serve the poor. With half of the world’s population living on less than $2 a day, the need for effective solutions to alleviate poverty is great.
We believe in microfinance as a significant and sustainable tool to help alleviate global poverty. We also believe that our faith-based motivation unifies us as an organization, strengthens our commitment to the work before us, and deepens the impact we are creating in the lives of Opportunity International’s over two million microfinance clients.
Hope for God’s Beloved Poor
Jesus said, “Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me.” As a Christian organization, we believe all people are worthy and beloved children of God, deserving of a fulfilling life. All people share the same fundamental hopes and dreams, such as the opportunity to provide for their families and to build secure and fulfilling lives.
Opportunity International operates in over 20 developing countries, working primarily with small-scale entrepreneurs and subsistence farmers. Many of our clients have never had access to the basic financial services to help them prosper: small business loans with affordable interest rates, savings accounts that earn interest, and insurance for the rainy days – and droughts – that inevitably cause the greatest negative effects on those with the least ability to withstand them.
The Opportunity International team strives to put faith into action every day. We serve God by providing wide access to our training and financial resources, empowering people to work their way out of chronic poverty, transforming their lives, their children’s futures and their communities.
The Power of the Multiplier Effect
Opportunity’s cutting-edge microfinance model creates regulated banks in developing countries. These banks provide numerous innovative financial products and services, and do so in a sustainable way that actually multiplies the impact of every dollar many times over.
In 2009, every $1 donated to Opportunity International was used to create $1.47 worth of impact and a cycle of economic growth.
How?
First, each donation is leveraged by client savings and commercial borrowings to significantly increase the size of our loan pool and provide additional funds for our work.
Dollars are recycled as loans are repaid and the money benefits an ever-growing number of clients and their families. Communities prosper as new income is reinvested to grow businesses, employ neighbors and enroll children in school–creating an economic cycle of growth for every dollar contributed.
In addition to each loan, Opportunity provides proprietary training and support to each client. This training catalyzes clients to do amazing things with their new-found extra income, whether that means creating secondary enterprises, adding to savings accounts, providing employment for neighbors, and more.
Last but not least, each loan impacts the lives of not just each client, but the lives of an average of five family members or employees.
Like Jesus’ miracle of the fishes and the loaves, where a small amount of food fed a crowd of 5,000, Opportunity’s microfinance program multiplies each dollar many times over to make a significant, sustainable impact on global poverty.
The Transformational Power of Love
Every day, over 12,000 Opportunity International staff members serve all people regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or gender, with dignity, respect and love.
Every day, thousands of Opportunity supporters find their own lives transformed by empowering others to work their way out of poverty. Click here to learn more about how to put your faith into action and engage your church in the work of Opportunity International.
