Blog Archives

Meet Our Staff: Why Do I Believe in Opportunity?

In May of 2010, I attended a luncheon hosted by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs where Melanne Verveer, the first-ever U.S. ambassador-at-large for Global Women’s Issues, spoke to the significance of investing in women as a means to drive economic growth in the developing world. Equally as captivating as Ambassador Verveer’s remarks was being Read more…

Posted in Our Leadership, Our Mission and Vision, Our Motivation, Our Work, Resources
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What We’re Reading: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 1964 Nobel Lecture on Racial Injustice, Poverty, and War

On December 11, 1964, the day after he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave this lecture at the University of Oslo in Norway. In the lecture, he discussed what he said was “the most pressing problem facing mankind today,” which is a moral and spiritual poverty. As King put it: This problem of Read more…

Posted in Events, Faith in Action, Our Motivation, Where We Work
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Thank You for Your Partnership in 2011

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your partnership in 2011. As we look back on the year, we know that it’s because of your ongoing support that Opportunity International is able to empower our clients and their families with life-changing opportunity. Of course, there’s still so much to do. This past Read more…

Posted in Events, Our Mission and Vision, Our Motivation, Our Work
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As I Consider Advent this Year

This advent season, my church’s sermon series is “He is our King.” It’s a refreshingly challenging one as it looks not so much to a meek baby in the manger, but the hope of a powerful God coming to meet humankind within drastic poverty and political oppression. On a recent Sunday, as I listened to Read more…

Posted in Events, Faith in Action, Our Motivation, Our Work
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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…

Posted in Board of Governors, Events, Faith in Action, Our Leadership, Our Mission and Vision, Our Motivation, Our Work, Where We Work, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
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Breakout Session: Stand Up for Opportunity

I sat down to listen to a panel of Opportunity International volunteers and contributors to hear their thoughts and best practices on how they share and involve their own communities in Opportunity’s mission. Each panel member shared their own journey with Opportunity and how they came to be involved. Though unified in passion, each contributor’s Read more…

Posted in Events, Microfinance Conference, Our Leadership, Our Motivation, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
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Conference LiveBlog: Geoffrey Thige, COO of Opportunity Kenya

Geoffrey Thige, the dynamic chief operating officer of Opportunity International Kenya, shares from the conference mainstage all about the work and progress Opportunity Kenya has made, utilizing solutions that include mobile phone banking, microinsurance, financial literacy training and more to help clients build a better life. Highlights from Geoff Thige In Kenya, we have 39 Read more…

Posted in Events, Loans, Local Staffing, Microfinance Conference, Our Motivation, Our Work, Resources, Savings, Technology, Where We Work
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What We’re Reading: Top 10 Blogs About Microfinance & Poverty Eradication

Blogs are a great way to hear a variety of voices and experience an issue from diverse perspectives and if you’re interested in microfinance and global development there are a variety of sites full of information, opinions, and more.  These blogs, like our Opportunity Blog, are fun ways to learn more about the voices and Read more…

Posted in Our Motivation, Resources, Uncategorized, What We're Reading
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Opportunity Co-Hosts Financial Literacy Conference in Kenya

This week in Nairobi, Opportunity International and The Financial Education Fund (FEF)–which is funded by the Department for International Development (DFID)–are co-sponsoring a Financial Literacy Conference to explore how access to financial services can be facilitated and enhanced through financial education initiatives. The Financial Literacy Conference opened with remarks from Professor Njuguna S. Ndunu’u, governor Read more…

Posted in Our Motivation, Uncategorized, Where We Work, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
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Traveling with Students of the World (SOW): Seeing the Impact of Microfinance on Opportunity Clients in Ghana

The Students of the World (SOW) Boston team is in Ghana all this month visiting Opportunity Ghana‘s microfinance operations and documenting their experiences in a diverse array of photos, posts and more on their blog. You can see all their updates and content on their site, and stay tuned to the Opportunity Blog and our Facebook Read more…

Posted in Our Motivation, Our Work, Rural Outreach, Strategic Partners, Trust Groups, What We're Reading, Where We Work
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