Blog Archives

What We’re Reading: Last Week’s Insight Trip to Colombia & Nicaragua

Opportunity International staff and contributors just returned this week from the first Insight Trip of 2012. Their travel adventure took them to Colombia and Nicaragua where they experienced microfinance firsthand and met our staff and clients. Four of our travelers published their personal accounts and reflections on a travel blog at adventuringincolombianicaragua.tumblr.com and we’ve loved reading each Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips, Trust Groups, Where We Work
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Conference LiveBlog: Kevin Compton of Radar Partners

At this morning’s opening plenary session on the main stage at the Opportunity International Conference, Kevin Compton, the co-founder of Radar Partners and co-chair of Opportunity’s Banking on Africa Executive Task Force, spoke about the impact and goals of the ambitious Banking on Africa campaign, and how despite all the exciting technologies he’s seen, one of Read more…

Posted in Events, Microfinance Conference, Our Work, Technology, Trust Groups
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What We’re Watching: Opportunity Lifts Up Families with the Support of the Caterpillar Foundation

It’s through the commitment of individuals and strategic partner organizations like the Caterpillar Foundation that Opportunity International is able to do so much to impact the lives of our clients. Opportunity is about building from the base of the economic pyramid. And Caterpillar is about building the infrastructure for the communities and nations where we work Read more…

Posted in Our Leadership, Our Work, Resources, Strategic Partners, Trust Groups, Where We Work
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Photo Journey of Meeting Microfinance Clients in Rwanda and Uganda

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
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Opportunity Staff Interview on BBC Radio 2

Listen today! BBC Radio 2‘s Jeremy Vine interviews Nick Lea, development economist and an Opportunity trustee, and Lydia Baffour Awuah, head of Africa programs at Opportunity UK. Recording of interview is only available until 2:02 p.m. GMT+1 on Tuesday, Aug. 30th (9:02 a.m. EST in the United States). Listen to the 10-minute interview by clicking here. ** (The interview Read more…

Posted in Loans, Our Leadership, Our Work, Resources, Savings, Trust Groups, Where We Work
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My First Trust Group Experience, a Traveler’s Report from Uganda

We rose early today and split into two groups with ours visiting a Trust Group in Kampala, which is the bustling capital of Uganda. We meandered down the shopping district, winding our way through an orderly confusion of shops, street vendors and a sea of humanity. It was hot and dry and the red dust Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips, Loans, Our Work, Resources, Trust Groups
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Meet Thomas, a Loan Officer in Moshi, Tanzania

Meet Thomas. Thomas is a loan officer in the Moshi branch of Opportunity Tanzania. When I asked him about himself he said he likes hip hop music, traveling, and helping out clients. His Trust Group adores him, as they should, he is a wonderful man who helps out whenever possible. We talked about some of Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips, Local Staffing, Trust Groups, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
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Empowerment through Microfinance–Meeting Rwandan Microfinance Client Dorosera Mukagahima

Dorosera Mukagahima made our long two-hour bus ride worth the trek to her remote village. She’s the elected treasurer in her Trust Group of about 30, mostly women. In her business she buys and sells goats—about three at a time. She proudly told us of her sturdy mud brick home with a metal roof, situated Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips, Loans, Our Work, Trust Groups
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Tanzania Reporter Meets Emilia P. Mtei of the Chapakazi Trust Group

She is part of the Trust Group called Chapakazi (translation: Hard-Working) based in Moshi, Tanzania. Her passion is working at her small grocery store where she sells fish, avocados and various other vegetables. Emilia looks over at her loan officer Levina and laughs aloud as we YAO members ask her questions about her loan success Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips, Loans, Trust Groups, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
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Students of the World (SOW): Ghanaian Agricultural Finance Client Beatrice is a “Lady of the Land”

The Students of the World (SOW) Boston team has just returned from a month-long trip to Ghana to visit Opportunity Ghana‘s microfinance operations and document their experiences in dozens 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 Read more…

Posted in Events, Loans, Our Work, Resources, Rural Outreach, Trust Groups, Where We Work
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