Blog Archives

Check It Out! Credit Suisse Reports on the Impact of Microfinance & Technology in Malawi

By Opportunity International on January 18, 2012

We’re pleased to announce that Opportunity International is featured in this month’s Credit Suisse Bulletin. The four-page article, which was the result of Credit Suisse’s visit to Opportunity Malawi last year, is located on pages 42-45. Click here to see a complete copy of the Bulletin or read the story online. In addition, Credit Suisse has Read more…

Posted in Loans, Local Staffing, Our Work, Rural Outreach, Savings, Strategic Partners, Technology, Training, What We're Reading, Where We Work
Tagged Africa, ATMs, biometric fingerprint technology, biometric technology, Cell phone banking, Clients, Credit Suisse, Electronic wallet strategy, Financial literacy programs, financial literacy training, Loan Officer, Loans, Malawi, MFI, Microfinance, Mobile Banking, mobile banking vehicle, mobile phone banking, Opportunity International, Opportunity Malawi, Poverty, regional manager, Rural Outreach, Savings, Technology, Training, Trust Groups, Women

Breakout Session: Innovating to Meet Community Needs

By Guest Post on October 16, 2011

“The more you listen and respond… the way you increase your chances of success and long term benefit is dramatic,” stated Jim Frantz, chief transformation officer at Opportunity Colombia, speaking about the importance of having local input and ownership when implementing initiatives in impoverished communities. This breakout session highlighted just a few of the innovative solutions Read more…

Posted in Events, Microfinance Conference, Our Leadership, Our Work, Resources, Technology, Training, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
Tagged Africa, Agriculture, Colombia, Community, Conference, Craig DeRoy, David Allman, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Ghana, Jim Frantz, Latin America, Nicaragua, OIC2011, Opportunity Colombia, Opportunity Ghana, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Microfinance Conference, Opportunity Nicaragua, Poverty, roof and floor program, YAO, YAO - San Francisco, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity

What We’re Watching: Banking on Education Video by Students of the World at CGI 2011

By Opportunity International on October 6, 2011

We’re watching this video produced in partnership with Students of the World, which had its world premiere on the main stage at this year’s CGI. In it, Opportunity staff and clients discuss the goals and the impact of our Banking on Education program, which provides , and to 280 schools serving 120,000 students in Malawi, Uganda and Read more…

Posted in Events, Loans, Local Staffing, Microfinance Conference, Our Work, Resources, Savings, Training, Where We Work
Tagged Africa, Banking on Education, CGI 2011, Clinton Global Initiative, Community, Conference, Education, Effie Cooke, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Ghana, Global Poverty, Kadita "A.T." Tshibaka, Loan Officer, Loans, Malawi, OIC2011, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Microfinance Conference, Savings, School Proprietor Loans, Schools, Students of the World, Training, Uganda, videos

Photo Journey of Meeting Microfinance Clients in Rwanda and Uganda

By Guest Post on September 7, 2011

Uganda- A young girl (right) welcomes an Opportunity International visitor from the floor of her father’s shop in a Kampala market. Her young father is an enterprising entrepreneur and Trust Group member who runs a small boutique that sells both new and old clothes, mattresses, and small luggage. Business is good, he reports, and he Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips, Loans, Local Staffing, Rural Outreach, Training, Trust Groups, Where We Work
Tagged Africa, Banking on Africa, Banking on Africa Campaign, Banking on Africa Insight Trip 2011, Clients, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Genocide, Insight Trip, Kampala, Loan Officer, Loans, MFI, Microfinance, Opportunity International, Poverty, Rwanda, Training, Trust Groups, Uganda

Unlocking Potential Through the Power of Education

By Opportunity International on August 19, 2011

Opportunity’s financial products, educational programs and business training help impoverished families, especially women, develop their capacity to the fullest. Where poverty is the way of life, people’s potential is often overshadowed by the struggle to survive. But when equipped with the right tools, even the most vulnerable are able to change their own world and create a better future for their Read more…

Posted in Local Staffing, Our Work, Resources, Strategic Partners, Training, Where We Work
Tagged 2010 Annual Report, Africa, Banking on Education, Children, Client Stories, Clients, Community, Education, Education finance, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Ghana, IDP Foundation Rising Schools Program, Loans, Malawi, Microfinance, School Proprietor Loans, Schools, Uganda

My Inspirational Meeting in Malawi with Microfinance Client Mary Jackson

By Cynthia Greenwood on August 2, 2011

Recently, Opportunity International staff members traveled to Malawi, seeing firsthand how technology enables us to deliver microfinance services to rural people living in extreme poverty. They met with Opportunity Malawi clients and local staff to capture the stories of entrepreneurs who are working hard to break the cycle of poverty. Below, read staff member Cynthia’s account of her meeting with Read more…

Posted in Loans, Our Work, Rural Outreach, Savings, Strategic Partners, Training, Where We Work
Tagged Africa, Blantyre, Children, Client Stories, Clients, Community, Community development, Credit Suisse, Education, Electronic wallet strategy, Ending Poverty, Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship, Female entrepreneurs, Financial services, Global Poverty, Loans, Malawi, Microfinance, Mobile Banking, mobile banking vehicle, mobile branches, Mozambique, Mulanje, OIBM, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Bank of Malawi, Opportunity Malawi, Poverty, Satellite bank branch, Savings, staff, success story, Technology, Training, videos, Women

Update: Opportunity DRC in Kinshasa Grows, Expanding Microfinance to More People of the Congo

By Opportunity International on July 15, 2011

Opportunity Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) celebrated its grand opening on May 19th in the capital city of Kinshasa. Since Opportunity International‘s arrival in the DRC, we’ve seen marked changes in the lives of the Congolese people. Opportunity DRC is extending much-needed microfinance products in a country where only 1% of the population has access Read more…

Posted in Bank Building, Events, Loans, Local Staffing, Our Work, Savings, Technology, Training, Where We Work
Tagged 10000 women initiative, Africa, Clients, Democratic Republic of Congo, DR Congo, DRC, DRC Grand Opening, Emerging Leaders, emerging leaders program, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Gilbert Lagaillarde, Global Poverty, Goldman Sachs, Kinshasa, Loan Officer, Loans, local staffing, MFI, Microfinance, Opportunity DRC, Opportunity International, Poverty, Savings, Technology, Training, Women

Day 1: Family Week Insight Trip to See the Country, Meet the People of Colombia

By Guest Post on June 21, 2011

This week, supporters are traveling on the Family Week Insight Trip to Colombia. The following travel blog post was written by Katherine Gardner, teenage daughter of David and Margaret, reflecting on Day 1 of her family’s Colombian journey with Opportunity. Today was the first day of our Colombia Insight Trip. As we boarded our bus, gleaming Read more…

Posted in Faith in Action, Insight Trips, Loans, Our Mission and Vision, Our Work, Training, Trust Groups
Tagged Bogotá, Clients, Colombia, Colombia Family Week Trip 2011, Community, Ending Poverty, family week trip, Financial services, Guest Post, Insight Trip, Jesus Christ, Loan Officer, Loans, MFI, Microfinance, Opportunity Colombia, Opportunity International, Poverty, Spanish, Training, Trust Groups, Women

Illinois Congressman Rep. Peter Roskam Visits Opportunity’s Oak Brook Offices, Following a Visit to Ghana

By Opportunity International on June 10, 2011

This past Wednesday, June 8, U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam (IL-6th) stopped by Opportunity’s Oak Brook, Ill. offices to learn more about our work. During his visit, he toured the office, met many members of our US staff, and had a meeting with a few members of our senior staff, including Opportunity CEO Bill Morgenstern, Senior Read more…

Posted in Events, Loans, Microinsurance, Our Leadership, Our Work, Savings, Training, Where We Work
Tagged Africa, Agricultural finance, Agriculture, Bill Morgenstern, Community, Congress, Dennis Ripley, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Ghana, global development, Global Poverty, Insurance, Legislation, Loan Officer, Loans, Malawi, MFI, Microfinance, Opportunity International, Poverty, Rep. Peter Roskam, Savings, Simona Haiduc, sub-Saharan Africa, Training

YAO Member on Chicago Microfinance Conference & How Innovations Expand the Reach of Savings

By Guest Post on May 13, 2011

The following guest post was written by Lauren Dillon, a co-chair of the Chicago chapter of Young Ambassadors for Opportunity (YAO) who works at Illinois-based nonprofit Oasis International. Innovation is at the heart of microfinance. It’s also the engine that propels it. Innovation is packed with chance, risk, fun, adventure! And, when coupled with microfinance, Read more…

Posted in Events, Microinsurance, Our Work, Savings, Technology, Training, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
Tagged 2011 Chicago Microfinance Conference, Africa, biometric technology, biometrics, CARE, Cell phone banking, Chicago, Chicago Microfinance Conference, DePaul University, Education, Ending Poverty, Entrepreneurs, Financial services, Innovation, Malawi, MFI, MicroDreams, Microfinance, Mobile Banking, mobile phone banking, Oasis International, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Bank of Malawi, Opportunity Malawi, Poverty, Savings, Simona Haiduc, Technology, Tuition savings accounts, YAO, YAO-Chicago, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity, young entrepreneurs, Young Professionals

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