Blog Archives

3 Ways Opportunity International Will Tackle Poverty in Mozambique This Year

By Allison Bearden on March 7, 2013

Opportunity Mozambique is providing over 57,000 impoverished clients with loans, savings and insurance to catalyze sustainable economic development across the country. In 2013, Banco Oportunidade de Moçambique (BOM) will reach more impoverished families through the following three strategies, among others: Investing in Savings Expansion with New Products and Promotions. Savings help protect low-income families against Read more…

Posted in Hunger, Loan officer, Loans, Local Staffing, Microfinance, Our Method, Our Mission and Vision, Our Motivation, Our Work, Poverty, Rural Outreach, Savings, Technology, Training, Transformation, Where We Work
Tagged Agricultural finance, Clients, Financial Access, Financial services, Mozambique, Savings

What We’re Watching: Vicki Escarra on CEOIntroNet

By Ian Haisley on January 30, 2013

In a recent interview with CEOIntroNet, our CEO Vicki Escarra highlighted Opportunity’s innovative approach in the field. Watch the footage to hear more about Opportunity’s unique approach to working with donors and the community economic development work underway in Nicaragua, where donors and staff are working together on a community economic development (CED) program. Focused Read more…

Posted in Donors, In the News, Our Leadership, Our Method, Training, Transformation, What We're Watching, Where We Work, Women
Tagged Agriculture, community economic development, Education, Entrepreneurs, Nicaragua, Social Entrepreneurship, Training, Vicki Escarra

What We’re Reading: Vicki Escarra in the Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneurial Supporters Empower Communities in Nicaragua

By Opportunity International on January 11, 2013

At Opportunity International, we see our experienced, resourced entrepreneurial supporters as a major asset to the organization that has led to ground-breaking innovations in our work. Today, in the Harvard Business Review, our CEO Vicki Escarra wrote a piece entitled “Funders Can Give More than Money.” Opportunity International’s staff and supporters are a team of innovators. Read more…

Posted in Donors, Loans, Our Leadership, Our Work, Training, Transformation, What We're Reading, Where We Work
Tagged Agriculture, Asset-Based Community Development, CED, Client Stories, Clients, Community, community economic development, David Allman, David Kone, donors, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Fundraising, Geralyn Sheehan, Harvard Business Review, Harvard University, Loans, Microfinance, Mission, Nicaragua, Opportunity International, Opportunity Nicaragua, Poverty, south america, Training, Vicki Escarra, what we're reading

Uganda Clients Increase Savings

By Opportunity International on January 9, 2013

Leveraging creative community outreach, Opportunity International Uganda is helping clients invest in their own futures through savings accounts. In just a few months in 2012, a savings drive launched by Opportunity Uganda increased the value of clients’ deposits by 23%, according to the bank’s CEO, André Lalumière. André attributes the campaign’s success to radio advertising Read more…

Posted in Events, Local Staffing, Microfinance, Our Leadership, Our Method, Our Work, Resources, Savings, Training, Where We Work
Tagged Africa, André Lalumière, bank branch, Banking, Banks, Branch staff, Clients, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Impact, Impact newsletter, Kalagi, Kampala, Loan Officers, local staff, Microfinance, Nateete, Opportunity International, Opportunity Uganda, Poverty, Savings, savings drive, Uganda

One Woman Transforms her Community in Colombia

By Opportunity International on December 13, 2012

Opportunity Colombia client Beduith María Henao Beltrán is a testament to the power of one woman to make a difference in the lives of many. In winter, Beduith’s street in the city of Barranquilla was clogged with mud and impassable, making life dangerous, unpleasant and inconvenient. This can also make it difficult for residents to Read more…

Posted in Client Stories, Loan officer, Loans, Training, Trust Groups, Uncategorized, Women
Tagged Beduith Maria Henao Beltran, Colombia, Community, community organizer, Financial services, Loans, Microfinance, One Woman Holiday Challenge, Opportunity Colombia, Opportunity International, south america, Training, Trust Groups, Women

Opportunity International Honors World AIDS Day

By Brad Skeba on December 1, 2012

December 1, 2012 is World AIDS Day. Today, we at Opportunity International stand with millions around the world, including our clients, in the fight against HIV/AIDS. As an organization that offers AIDS education in some of the world’s hardest hit communities, we look forward to the day when families, friends and clients are freed from Read more…

Posted in Events, Health, Our Work, Training, Trust Groups, Where We Work
Tagged Africa, AIDS, Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, Brad Skeba, Clients, Community, Democratic Republic of Congo, DR Congo, Education, Ending Poverty, Global Poverty, Health, HIV/AIDS, HIV/AIDS prevention, Microfinance, Opportunity DRC, Opportunity International, Poverty, sub-Saharan Africa, Training, Trust Groups, Uganda, Unicef, World Aids Day, World Health Organization

On Thanksgiving and Every Day, We’re Grateful for Clients like Eugenie

By Opportunity International on November 22, 2012

As you gather around the Thanksgiving table, enjoying your time with family and friends, we know you’re grateful for all your blessings. At Opportunity International, we’re grateful for the opportunity to be part of work that empowers clients like Eugenie Nyirabagenzi to feed their families and secure a more hopeful future for themselves and their communities. Eugenie Read more…

Posted in Agricultural Finance, Client Stories, Events, Loan officer, Loans, Microinsurance, Our Work, Rural Outreach, Savings, Training, Where We Work, Women
Tagged Africa, Agricultural finance, Agriculture, Client Stories, Clients, Ending Poverty, Eugenie Nyirabagenzi, Farmer, financial literacy training, Financial services, Jean de Dieu Kampayana, Loan Officer, Loans, MFI, Microfinance, Opportunity International, Opportunity Rwanda, Poverty, rice, Rwamagana, Rwanda, Savings, Thanksgiving, Training, Weather-index crop insurance, Women, women clients

CEO Vicki Escarra Checks in from 2012 Peter Drucker Forum in Vienna

By Vicki Escarra on November 16, 2012

This is an inspiring week as I attended the fourth annual Global Peter Drucker Forum in Vienna, Austria, where several hundred leaders from the corporate, academic and NGO settings gathered to explore the future of management and its impact on the future of global society. Peter F. Drucker was a management consultant, educator, author and Read more…

Posted in Agricultural Finance, Education, Events, Loans, Microfinance, Microinsurance, Our Leadership, Our Mission and Vision, Our Work, Savings, Strategic Partners, Technology, Training
Tagged Agricultural finance, Agriculture, Austria, Capitalism, Clients, Education, Events, Financial services, Insurance, Loans, Microfinance, Nonprofit, Opportunity International, Peter Drucker Forum, Peter F. Drucker, Poverty, Savings, Technology, Training, Vicki Escarra, Vienna

We Invest in Leaders with Staff Transformation and Capacity Building in the Democratic Republic of Congo

By Diane Ferguson on November 13, 2012

In Democratic Republic of Congo, a highly skilled mentor becomes the catalyst for a lifetime of stability for women and their families. That’s what happens when Opportunity International’s capacity building programs equip staff with the knowledge and skill to guide families through their journey out of poverty. This program puts special emphasis on developing women, Read more…

Posted in Bank Building, Local Staffing, Our Leadership, Training, Women
Tagged Africa, Community, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, DR Congo, Emerging Leaders, Financial services, Gilbert Lagaillarde, invest in women, Kinshasa, local staffing, Microfinance, Opportunity International, Training, Women

Credit Suisse Celebrates 10 Years of Microfinance

By Opportunity International on November 8, 2012

Congratulations to our corporate partner Credit Suisse on achieving 10 years of leadership in microfinance. Opportunity International CEO Vicki Escarra participated in two panel discussions, both of which highlighted innovations in products and delivery mechanisms to reach and serve clients more effectively. “We take a private equity approach by providing leadership and financial training as Read more…

Posted in Events, Loans, Microfinance, Our Leadership, Strategic Partners, Training
Tagged Accion, anniversary, Banking, CEO, Credit Suisse, Ending Poverty, Events, Financial services, Financial Times, FINCA, international business development, Loans, Microfinance, Microfinance Capacity Building Initiative, Microfinance industry, Opportunity International, Poverty, Simona Haiduc, sustainable finance award, Switzerland, Training, Vicki Escarra, Women's World Banking

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