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My Lunch with Ghanaian Staff Member Vida
Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to have lunch with Vida Marfo of Opportunity International. She is the Regional Head of Small/Medium Enterprise (SME) and a Manager for Property Folios at Opportunity Ghana. Vida was kind enough to do an interview with me so I could share what I learned from her with all Read more…
Tagged Africa, blogger, Board of Governors, Financial services, Habitat for Humanity, International Visitor, Loans, local staff, Microfinance, Opportunity Ghana, Opportunity International, Poverty, Training
First Day of School in Nicaragua
The idea seemed almost too good to be true: a self-sustainable, private high school providing academic coursework in tandem with technical classes and apprenticeship within reach of people living in rural poverty. If it could be done, it would be completely in line with Opportunity Nicaragua’s Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) model. I was sold: hook, Read more…
Tagged Agriculture, Clients, Community, David Allman, David Kone, Education, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Geralyn Sheehan, Global Poverty, Granada, Latin America, Loans, MFI, Microfinance, Nicaragua, Opportunity International, Opportunity Nicaragua, Poverty, Schools, Students, Training, YAO, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity, Youth
Celebrating 40 Years of Microfinance with the “Holiday Fête” in Scottsdale, Arizona
On Tuesday evening, Dec. 6, 2011, the members of Opportunity International’s Arizona Board of Governors hosted the “Holiday Fête: Commemorating 40 Years of Client Impact and Transformation,” a 40th-anniversary celebration at the Gainey Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale. “ is proud to celebrate our 40th year of working alongside our clients, staff and supporters to fight global poverty,” Read more…
Tagged 2011 YAO Insight Trip, 40th anniversary, Africa, Arizona, Banking on Women, Board of Directors, Board of Governors, Cindy Schwab-Salem, David Simms, fundraisers, Global Microfinance Operations, Jon Yasuda, Kadita “A.T.” Tshibaka, Kelly Flanagan, MFI, Microfinance, mobile banks, Opportunity International, Scottsdale, Tanzania, Tanzania Correspondent Contest, Trust Groups, Women, YAO, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
Opportunity Celebrates 40 Years at “Side by Side” Gala in Minneapolis
Last Thursday night, more than 400 guests gathered at International Market Square in Minneapolis, Minn. to celebrate Opportunity International‘s 40th anniversary at a gala event, “Side by Side: Celebrating 40 Years of Opportunity.” The evening included entertainment by Minnesota resident and contemporary Christian singer Sara Groves and the African musical group Duniya Drum and Dance, Read more…
Tagged 40th anniversary, Al Whittaker, Board of Directors, Board of Governors, Colombia, Duniya Drum & Dance, Events, Faith in Action, Frida Mungoma, fundraisers, gala, Minneapolis, Nonprofit, Opportunity Uganda, Philanthropy, Sara Groves, Side by Side, YAO, YAO-Minneapolis, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
Conference LiveBlog: Nadine Pembele, Head of Training at Opportunity DR Congo
This third and final plenary session of the day opens with remarks by Mary Lynn Staley, chair of the Opportunity International Board of Governors. She introduces Nadine Pembele, Head of Training for Opportunity International in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Highlights from Nadine Pembele’s Presentation I am very honored to have the opportunity to Read more…
Tagged Africa, Board of Governors, Clients, Ending Poverty, Financial services, local staffing, mary lynn staley, Nadine Pembele, OIC2011, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Microfinance Conference
Conference LiveBlog: Karen and Ronnie Lott, of Opportunity International’s Board of Governors
At the final presentation of this morning’s first plenary session of the conference, philanthropists Ronnie and Karen Lott, members of Opportunity International’s Board of Governors, spoke about what brought them to support Opportunity, their life-changing experience meeting client Talekeleni Kagaso on an Insight Trip to Malawi, and why they’re passionate about helping people in poverty. Read more…
Tagged Africa, All Stars Helping Kids, Board of Governors, Children, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Ghana, HIV/AIDS, Karen Lott, Kenya, Loans, Malawi, MFI, Microfinance, NFL, OIC2011, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Microfinance Conference, Ronnie Lott
Watch it Live! Opportunity International Conference Video Stream Starts Friday 8:30 a.m. PST
Unable to join us in person for the Opportunity International Conference? No problem. Just tune in tomorrow-Friday, Oct. 14 at 8:30 a.m. PST–as we stream live video from the conference until Saturday, Oct. 15 at 12:00 p.m. Go to opportunity.org/live to watch it live. Here are just a few of the plenary and breakout session Read more…
Tagged Africa, Alliance to End Hunger, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Draper, Board of Advisors, Daryl Collins, Dikembe Mutombo, dikembe mutombo foundation, Feed the Future Guide, Jeffrey Spector, John Ortberg, Julie Howard, Laura Pincus Hartman, OIC2011, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Microfinance Conference, Portfolios of the Poor: How the World's Poor Live on $2 a Day, Reeta Roy, Steven Levy, The MasterCard Foundation, Tony Hall, videos
Faith in Action: Opportunity Supporter Walks 500 Miles of Christian Pilgrimage El Camino de Santiago
With just 50 miles to go, Opportunity International supporter Ann Loar Brooks is about to complete a 500-mile walk for Ugandan women. Ann began her journey on August 27th, hiking the last 500 miles of the Christian pilgrimage El Camino de Santiago, which starts from southern France and winds through the Pyrenees across northern Spain. Her mission: to raise awareness Read more…
Tagged Africa, Board of Governors, Clients, Ending Poverty, Faith in Action, Financial Access, Financial services, Fundraising, Global Poverty, Microfinance, Online fundraising, Opportunity International, Opportunity Uganda, Supporters, Trust Groups, Uganda, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON
What We’re Reading: Opportunity Rwanda’s Daniel Ryumugabe & Chicago Supporters Gather to Discuss Left to Tell
On Monday, I joined 15 women for a meeting of the Chicago Women’s Book Discussion Group in the home of Kim Stephens, a member of Opportunity International‘s Board of Governors. The group, led by my Opportunity colleague, regional director Linda Vander Weele, has been meeting regularly for the past two years to discuss books that touch upon Read more…
Tagged Africa, Board of Governors, Book discussion, Chicago, Community, Economic development, Education, Ending Poverty, Events, Genocide, God, Governors, International Visitor, Kigali, Left to Tell, MFI, Microfinance, Opportunity International, Opportunity Rwanda, Paul Kagame, Poverty, Ruth-Anne Renaud, Rwanda, Transformation, Transformational Training, UOB, Urwego Opportunity Bank, Urwego Opportunity Bank of Rwanda, violence, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON
Opportunity International Joins Other Thought Leaders in Global Development to Discuss the Future of Philanthropy
The following guest post was written by Emily Yahr, a media consultant for Opportunity International and attendee at Thursday’s Hudson Institute panel discussion. “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” -Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky On Thursday, May 12, representatives from research institutions, think tanks, universities, NGOs, and Read more…
Tagged Board of Governors, Carrie Slease, Conference, David Simms, Events, Global Philanthropy, GlobalGiving, Hudson Institute, MFI, Microfinance, Network Services Organization, Opportunity International, Philanthropy, Savings, Washington D.C., YAO, yao-DC, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
