Agnes is one of Opportunity’s first clients in the DR Congo, and she is now able to support herself and her family.

In 2008, Opportunity embarked on its most ambitious effort to date, a $123.6 million Banking on Africa campaign to expand financial services for impoverished families throughout sub-Saharan Africa. With the partnership of our committed supporters, we’re celebrating the successful completion of this campaign and we’re confident we’ll reach our Banking on Africa goal: to reach five million African clients by 2015, impacting families, communities, and an estimated 30 million people in total.

Banking on Africa relied on a model of grant-funding for the initial development costs of each bank focused on people living in poverty. After that, today, most of the funding comes from client deposits, fueling bank growth from within the communities and attracting debt capital. This model has proven successful. And many of you also made contributions to the online, interactive part of the campaign last summer. We’re so grateful to the individual and corporate partners who helped us reach our goals. As of yearend 2011, our growth in Africa more than doubled the funds available for people in poverty. Thank you to all those that helped us get there.

Agnes (pictured right) is one of our first clients in the DR Congo. As the sole provider of her large family, she lived with the constant worry that she would not earn enough each day to put food on the table. In the past six months, this wife and mother of seven joined the Yunus Trust Group in Kinshasa’s Masina market. Agnes sells vegetables that she grows on her small plot of land. Having increased her daily income by 60%, Agnes has transformed herself into a provider and a businesswoman. Today she is able to afford school fees and has added meat as a source of protein to her family’s diet. With a renewed sense of hope, Agnes is already making plans to start a second business for her daughter to operate when she graduates from school this year.

Want to see Opportunity’s impact in Africa firsthand? Travel with us on an Insight Trip to meet the clients, staff, and experience the cultures of these places where we’re making a difference. Visit opportunity.org/insight »

1. Steven Levy
   Senior writer at Wired; Author of In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives
   Steven Levy: “The most prominent leaders in the technology world today believe that the first step in doing the impossible is freeing yourself from the constraint that something can’t be done. What if we thought of ending poverty in that way? When I wrote In the Plex, I really saw how technology has the power to change the world. [...] The thing I learned from Google is take on big, hairy, audacious goals.”
2. Kevin Compton
   Co-founder of Radar Partners; Co-chair of the Banking on Africa Campaign Executive Task Force
   Kevin Compton: “Astounding technological innovations that have impacted the world were the calculator[...], the personal computer[...] and Facebook[...]. But the innovation that changed me forever is the Trust Group. The Trust Group has more accounting than a calculator, more productivity than a personal computer, more communication than a fiber optics link, more relevant information than the Web, and more socialization than social media. [...To reach our goal to end poverty in Africa] it will be more than technical innovation, it will be the Trust Group.”
3. Aleksandr-Alain Kalanda
   CEO of Opportunity International Malawi; Conceptualized and rolled out Opportunity Malawi’s innovative mobile branch services
   Aleksandr-Alain Kalanda: “Our research revealed a lot of reasons why [people in poverty] were not using banks, such as expensive identity documentation, cumbersome processes, high fees, products which did not make sense, branches which are very far from where people live and work, and so on. Our [technological] solutions to these problems have made [Opportunity Malawi] an innovative and ‘pro-poor’ bank. [...] In the next two years, we hope to be serving one million clients.”

Highlights from Kevin Compton’s Presentation

The astounding technological innovations that have impacted the world were the calculator in the 1960s, the personal computer in the late 1970s, and Facebook in 2003. But the innovation that changed me forever is the Trust Group. The Trust Group has more accounting than a calculator, more productivity than a personal computer, more communication than a fiber optics link, more relevant information than the Web, and more socialization than social media.

When I visited a Trust Group this summer in Rwanda, I had the following observations:

• It felt like a Fortune 500 board meeting (only much better)
• A little girl–11 or 12 years old–delivered her mother’s payment–she was trusted and trustworthy, and honored by others while she honored the process.
• Their time together and shared goals fostered trust
• Their powerful and unwavering self-discipline
• The loan officer is a POTENTIAL facilitator, but the people owned the process–I wanted to take them back to my own meetings, they would have made them so much better
• There was so much mutual respect for each member–they yielded the floor to each speaker
• The group not only trusts, they co-invest in business, such as the motorbike delivery service they own together

What if every business in the U.S. had a Trust Group?

• Would there be mutual accountability among board members?
• Would they respect others’ business needs and processes?
• Would they share best practices?
• Would they have self discipline?
• Would they work toward common goals?
• Could we jointly manage a motorbike?

Banking on Africa is making an impact on clients’ lives.

Banking on Africa Goals and Results
Goal 1: Mobilize $384 million

• $123.6 million in donations by 2012 (Current: $122.5 million)
• $40 million in debt by 2015 (Current: $35 million)
• $221 million in client deposits by 2015 (Current: $58.5 million)

Goal 2: Impact 5 million clients, 30 million lives by 2015 (Currently at 1.22 million clients, 7.3 million lives)

How do we finish the Banking on Africa campaign strong?

We want this last million to come in from thousands of new supporters who want to Bank on Africa. It’ll be one person funding a Trust Group, another funding a school loan, another funding a farmer. We want to use this exciting campaign to bring new people to Opportunity through new media (Facebook, Twitter, Mobile Apps). We are currently engaging our growing community of over 100,000 Facebook fans. We are currently reaching over 35,000 people through emails.

It will be more than technical innovation, it will be the Trust Group. Please help us finish this ambitious campaign. Join us on the Insight Trip to Rwanda next February 26-March 2, 2012, to see the impact of Banking on Africa firsthand. Thank you for being on the ride with us, we appreciate it.

A bit about Kevin Compton

Kevin Compton is co-chair with his wife, Gayla, of the Banking On Africa Campaign Executive Task Force, and an entrepreneur and venture capitalist. He served as a general partner with Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers for 18 years, and in 2005, co-founded Radar Partners, building a diversified portfolio of investments across a range of asset classes. Prior to joining KPCB, Kevin was VP and general manager of the Network Systems Team at Businessland (now Siemens). During his tenure, the company’s sales increased from under $70 million to over $1.4 billion. Kevin currently lends his expertise on the boards of several public and private companies. Using his investment experience, Kevin assisted Opportunity International in launching a Loan Guarantee Fund. Within 18 months of its inception, it leveraged $15 million in new local currency capital for Opportunity International partners.

This session was streamed live at opportunity.org/live. Visit opportunity.org/live throughout the conference to watch it live.

Support from the John Deere Foundation helps us provide financial services to cocoa farmers like these in Ghana.

“We are impressed with the progress that Opportunity International has made in increasing access to financial services for African farmers, food processors and retailers,” said John Bustle, vice president, John Deere Foundation. “Likewise, we are excited and optimistic about Opportunity’s ongoing efforts to create a sustainable framework for enhanced food security through increased food production, food availability at local markets and family income to purchase food.”

The John Deere Foundation grant will help Opportunity International achieve its objectives to introduce 450 new banking access sites, extend agricultural loans to over 500,000 new clients, including 95,000 farmer clients, and open 1.4 million interest-bearing savings accounts, with 950,000 of those in rural areas. Plans are also in place to hire 200 agricultural loan officers in the next three years.

With the addition of the John Deere Foundation’s support, half of Opportunity’s $37 million rural outreach program is now funded. Supporters are encouraged to help fully fund this initiative to end hunger in Africa.

Learn more about Opportunity’s innovative and holistic approach to providing small-scale African farmers with comprehensive financial tools that help them grow more crops, increase their family’s income, and feed their villages. Attend the breakout session, “Agricultural Finance: Cultivating Hope,” at the Opportunity International Conference, Oct. 14-15 in San Francisco. Visit opportunity.org/conference to learn more.

Denver YAObeque

by Caitlin Andrews

Facing off for the kickball tourney at YAObeque.

YAO – Denver is happy to report that the 2011 YAObeque was a huge success! Held at Denver’s Sunken Gardens Park on Saturday, Aug. 27, over 30 people gathered to barbeque, play kickball, and spend time with a local community of engaged and globally minded young professionals. We had a great turnout with about half newcomers and half returning YAO supporters, making it a fantastic opportunity to continue spreading our roots in Denver after officially launching the chapter just last May.

We squared off in a big kickball tournament, and each of our four teams represented one of Opportunity’s microfinance products: savings, loans, training and insurance. Our event raised a total of $1,020 for Opportunity clients in Tanzania thanks to the Banking on Africa Campaign and an Opportunity donor who matched all contributions 2:1.

We’re continuing to build our local network of support through fun, educational events such as the YAObeque. A huge thanks to everyone who participated! If you’d like to stay up to date on Denver’s events, become a fan of YAO – Denver on Facebook.

YAO-LA Wipeout Poverty Beach Day

by Alison Oviedo

Returning a point at volleyball with YAO - LA.

Another beautiful day in L.A. made for a great day of meeting new friends, raising awareness and fundraising for Opportunity Tanzania at our Wipeout Poverty Beach Day on Saturday, Aug. 20! The generous donations of attendees, along with Opportunity’s Banking on Africa match, helped us raise over $3,500 for microfinance clients in Tanzania.

A big thank you to everyone who came out to make this opportunity a reality for Tanzanian clients! We were so happy to meet those of you who were new to YAO – LA and we’re looking forward to seeing you at future events. Stay tuned to YAO – LA’s Facebook group for more.

15th Annual Chicago Half Marathon & 5K

by Lauren Dillon

A few of Chicago's runners at the post-race tent.

I want all our Chicago runners to know they deserve a BIG thank you and a high five. On Sunday, Sept. 11 more than 20 YAO members and Opportunity staff showed up bright and early to run either the half marathon or a 5K on behalf of Opportunity’s clients overseas. It was a spectacular day!

As YAO member and half marathoner Kristen said, “What a fun event! I’m looking forward to growing this every year.” I feel the exact same way. We’re really excited to have everyone join us in the adventure of YAO – Chicago — expanding our network, growing people’s awareness, and raising money toward reaching more clients around the globe.

Thank you to all our runners and volunteers. You were ROCK STARS! For more photos from the day, check out YAO – Chicago on Facebook.

YAO members host events all year long because as Young Ambassadors they believe they can build community, learn and have fun all while promoting the work of Opportunity and breaking the cycle of poverty through microfinance. Thanks to everyone who broke a sweat this summer to get the word out about Opportunity and support our amazing clients around the world.

To put your fun ideas into action and join a community of like-minded young professionals join YAO at opportunity.org/yao.

Join YAO on Oct. 14-15 in San Francisco for Opportunity’s annual conference, “Innovating to End Poverty.” You’ll learn from Silicon Valley business leaders and philanthropists, connect with YAO members on our post-conference boat cruise, and leave the weekend inspired to end poverty. Learn more at opportunity.org/conference.

The child of a client in Kampala, Uganda

The daughter of a Rwandan dairy farmer client

Rwanda- What does the future hold for this daughter (left) of a Rwandan farmer living in poverty?

After surviving the genocide, and being given a single cow, the mother and her family slowly have been rebuilding their lives as subsistence dairy farmers, with the help of an Opportunity microloan. Life is hard as all the water and food for the cow must be brought in manually each day on a bicycle or by walking, carrying the burden of heavy water containers for a great distance.

Still, there is optimism about the future. The single cow has given birth to three additional cows, two of which the family has kept. The opportunity for improvements in productivity are great, and there is hope for the future.

Rwanda- At a Trust Group meeting (right), an Opportunity client in the rural agricultural village of Nyamata describes how her microloan and the Trust Group have transformed her life by allowing her to buy land, build a house, feed her children, provide schooling, and achieve dignity for herself in her community.

She says that the lessons her loan officer has given her on running a business are very helpful and that her community of friends in the Trust Group give her support and encouragement, helping her solve problems and looking toward the future.

Several of the members of this Trust Group were widowed by the genocide. We saw a monument to the victims on the road, a short distance outside of town.

A Trust Group meeting in the village of Nyamata, Rwanda

Opportunity supporter Fred of Hillsborough, Calif. writes of his journey traveling with fellow supporters and Opportunity staff on an Insight Trip to Rwanda and Uganda in August to see firsthand the impact of our Banking on Africa campaign.

Stay tuned to the Opportunity Blog for more from the Banking on Africa travelers.

On this trip, we’ve learned that 50 percent of Uganda’s population is 15 years old or younger. That’s a lot of children to educate. Law requires that all children complete primary school, but the government has not been able to keep up with the demand. The public schools typically have large class sizes, poor facilities and often ill-prepared teachers. Further, the schools are typically located where the population is most dense, requiring many children living in rural villages to walk one or even two hours to school.

As a result the government has sanctioned and encouraged small private schools, run in the immediate communities where the children live. These are not we in the U.S. envision when we think of private education. Though these schools’ facilities may be pretty basic, the children often receive a far superior education than those attending public schools. By funding the expansion of these small private schools with microfinance loans, Opportunity gets a double whammy. Not only do we make small business loans to school proprietors who operate self-sustaining enterprises, but more children get the opportunity to receive an education. Because of this extra value, and because of the number of people that these schools employ, Opportunity knows how important it is to make loans to these school proprietors.

Before going into the field to see the schools, our group of travelers visited the Opportunity Uganda bank in the morning for an orientation on education finance. The director of this initiative, Freda, explained that we made our first two school proprietor loans in 2008, each for about $13,000. This year we have more than 100 schools, receiving a total of $2.2 million in loans.

After the orientation we visited the Rise and Shine kindergarten and primary school. Dorothy met us at the front gate with an infectious smile and hugs for everyone. She is the school’s proud director and co-founder. In 2000, when her mother died, Dorothy converted the family home into a school for seven children, using her life savings of $250 to get it started. Later that year she borrowed $150 from Opportunity International. Successive loans have been for $200, $250 , $2,500 and most recently $4,000. With these funds she has partitioned and equipped classrooms, built a fence, and constructed toilets and running water. Today she has a team of nine teachers and 150 students, including more than 30 refugees from Sudan, Somalia and the DR Congo.

For the next half hour, the students entertained our group by singing songs they had written for “the visitors.” We so enjoyed meeting these children and seeing their school, inspired by young students who one day may be Africa’s future leaders.

Mark Lutz is Opportunity’s senior VP of global philanthropy. He recently returned from a week-long Insight Trip to  Rwanda and Uganda with a number of Opportunity supporters and staff to see firsthand the impact of our Banking on Africa campaign.

Stay tuned to the Opportunity Blog for more from the Banking on Africa travelers.

Inspired by your enthusiastic support, the 2-to-1 match has been extended until the campaign closes tonight at 11:59 p.m. PST. This is your last chance to triple your gift’s impact, creating lasting change in the lives of Sub-Saharan Africans, only 10% of whom currently have access to a formal financial institution.

There’s still a chance to be part of something big this summer. Donate to Banking on Africa now »

Sevenly's t-shirt to benefit Opportunity features the message, "Give Africa Opportunity - Not a Handout, A Hand Up"

The t-shirts are on sale this week only at sevenly.org and $7 of every sale goes directly to Opportunity to enable us to provide microfinance services to clients around the world. Remember, this t-shirt is only available through Monday, Aug. 29 at 10:00 a.m. PST and Sevenly insists that when it’s gone, it’s gone for good.

As of this morning, $665 has been raised for Opportunity. Help us reach our goal of $2,000 by the deadline on Monday morning. Don’t miss your chance to get a great t-shirt and show your support for Opportunity’s work all at the same time.

Buy your t-shirt now at sevenly.org.

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 rose over the marketplace like a cloud mixing itself with the heavy smell of outdoor cooking and fumes from the boda bodas as they streaked by.

Attending this impressive, well-organized Trust Group meeting, one of the great experiences in my life.

We found our destination, which was one of two wooden covered shelters made from four tree branches and a piece of rusted tin that I am sure had its birth as part of a building. We sat on benches short for our stature.

We waited a few minutes and soon the clients filed in, taking seats and facing us with big smiles, dressed in their most colorful Sunday best. Our interpreter asked us to introduce ourselves, introductions which we delivered in rapid fire as we tried to explain in a few words our place in the world.

The Trust Group chairman opened the meeting. He was a man of 4.8 feet, dressed in green attire, missing a few teeth but laser-focused, in command of his audience, and totally in control of the meeting at hand. You could see in his weather-worn face the intuitive ability to articulate a vision and the presence to lead others. I leaned over to Kevin, a traveling companion, and said, “If they open this meeting by reading the last meeting’s minutes, I will be very impressed.” And with that, a member stood up with his 11×14 notepad of hand-written notes, and standing military straight presented the minutes of the last meeting… Everyone nodded, and then the first order of business was the monthly repayment of loans.

We proceeded to hear stories of the clients’ successes and the beaming appreciation they had for Opportunity‘s services and support. There was a woman who ran a retail banana store, a man who was a banana wholesaler, an owner of a boutique, and a few others. I sat awed, flabbergasted at the formal, Wall Street structure of this meeting. Our chairman, who began with a shoeshine stand, grew it into a retail store, and had educated seven children–three of whom were in politics and four others who had also attended the university–who beamed like the North Star as he told us his story.

Next was the discussion of old business, which began with the review of a contingency fund the clients had created to prepare for a possible default of one of their membership. Then they moved into the current operations of their boda boda messenger, which the group had funded as a new venture and a revenue source. Another member sprang to his feet to suggest that they needed to find and own their own meeting site, a real property investment, and paint it the color of the Opportunity bank. He suggested that they mandate the wearing of t-shirts in their Trust Group colors and create their own brand. He was a marketing officer who any CEO would cherish.

I was so impressed. This whole process was well-organized, carefully thought-out, executed perfectly and, given the environment and personal obstacles each of these clients face, this is an accomplishment that would have rivaled the work of a Harvard Business School graduate. You could see in their beaming faces a clear understanding of what is necessary to be successful. It’s only the “luck of the draw” of their birthplace that this group was not sitting in an office high above Madison Avenue.

To anyone who is working with Opportunity International, or planning to, you must take the time to make a trip like this in order to understand the complexities of the microfinance system, its difficulties and successes, and particular challenges of those persons who happened to be born into a society where opportunity and the entrepreneurial spirit are ill-defined, yet bursting to be released given a chance.

This was truly one of the great experiences in my life…

Insight Trip traveler Bruce of San Francisco, Calif. traveled with Opportunity supporters and staff two weeks ago in Rwanda and Uganda to see firsthand the impact of our Banking on Africa campaign.

Stay tuned to the Opportunity Blog for more from the Banking on Africa travelers.