Blog Archives

One Woman Holiday Challenge Launches Today for Opportunity’s Women Clients

By Vicki Escarra on November 16, 2012

This holiday season, with your help, Opportunity International has the potential to fund 6,000 new loans for women around the world. For our new campaign, the One Woman Holiday Challenge, we have an ambitious goal of raising $450,000 in 45 days. And thanks to a generous donor, all gifts to the campaign will be matched Read more…

Posted in Bank Building, Biometrics, Client Stories, Fundraisers, Loans, Our Leadership, Savings, Technology, Women
Tagged Africa, Annie Nyangomba, biometric fingerprint technology, biometrics, Clients, Democratic Republic of Congo, donors, DR Congo, Ending Poverty, Financial services, fundraisers, Kinshasa, Loan Officer, Loans, match, Microfinance, One Woman Holiday Challenge, Online fundraising, Opportunity International, Poverty, Savings, Training, Vicki Escarra, Women

Credit Suisse’s Microfinance Work Recognized at the Financial Times/IFC Sustainable Finance Awards

By Emily Terrell on July 26, 2012

would like to offer our congratulations to Credit Suisse. They were awarded a special commendation for their program in the Sustainable Global Bank of the Year category at the Financial Times/International Finance Corporation Sustainable Finance Awards. The annual FT/IFC Sustainable Finance Awards, now in their seventh year, are the major global awards for environmentally- and Read more…

Posted in Bank Building, Events, Our Work, Rural Outreach, Strategic Partners, Technology
Tagged agent network, ATMs, awards, biometric technology, biometrics, capacity-building, Cell phone banking, Cell Phones, Clients, Colombia, Credit Suisse, Electronic wallet strategy, Financial services, Financial Times, Ghana, Insurance, International finance corporation, Loans, Malawi, MFI, Microfinance, Microinsurance, Mobile Banking, mobile banks, Opportunity International, POS devices, Rural Outreach, Savings, strategic partners, sustainable finance award, Technology, Temenos T24

What We’re Reading: “Rural and Agricultural Finance in the Spotlight at Cracking the Nut Conference”

By Opportunity International on July 14, 2011

A few weeks ago, Shari Berenbach, Director of USAID’s Microenterprise Development Office, wrote a blog post on the USAID’s IMPACTblog reported on a conference held in Washington that directly addressed the problems that face agricultural microfinance, as 600 million smallholder farmers currently live on less than $2 a day. Speakers at the conference emphasized new Read more…

Posted in Bank Building, Our Work, Rural Outreach, Technology, What We're Reading, Where We Work
Tagged Africa, Agricultural finance, Agriculture, ATMs, biometric fingerprint technology, biometrics, branchless banking, Cell phone banking, Colombia, Community, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Global Poverty, Kenya, Latin America, Loans, M-banking, M-PESA, Malawi, MFI, Microfinance, Mobile Banking, mobile branches, mobile phone banking, Mobile Phones, Opportunity International, Opportunity Kenya, Opportunity Malawi, Poverty, Rural banking, Rural Outreach, Technology, USAID, USAID Impact blog, what we're reading

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

The Christian Science Monitor on Biometrics & Mobile Money at Opportunity Malawi

By Opportunity International on April 15, 2011

The Christian Science Monitor today posted an article entitled, “Villages Leapfrog the Grid with Biometrics and Mobile Money,” which lauds these technologies as a way for people at the bottom of the economic pyramid to access financial services and protect themselves in the case of drought and disasters. Today’s story is part of a series Read more…

Posted in Rural Outreach, Technology, What We're Reading, Where We Work
Tagged Africa, Aleksandr-Alain Kalanda, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, biometric technology, biometrics, Cell phone banking, Cell Phones, Crop insurance, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Fingerprint, funeral insurance, Gates Foundation, Kenya, life insurance, M-banking, M-PESA, Malawi, MFI, Microfinance, Mobile Banking, mobile phone banking, Mobile Phones, OIBM, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Bank of Malawi, Opportunity Malawi, Poverty, South Africa, Technology, The Christian Science Monitor, what we're reading

Honor Opportunity’s Women Clients Today for International Women’s Day 2011

By Opportunity International on March 8, 2011

On this 100th anniversary, we celebrate the significant progress that has been achieved through determined advocacy, practical action and enlightened policy making. Yet, in too many countries and societies, women remain second-class citizens. [...] In the home and at school, in the workplace and in the community, being female too often means being vulnerable. -U.N. Read more…

Posted in Events, Insight Trips, OptINnow, Our Mission and Vision, Our Motivation, Our Work, Technology, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged Africa, Ban Ki-moon, Banking on Women, biometric technology, biometrics, Cell phone banking, Children, Client Stories, Clients, Community, Education, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Global change, International Women’s Day, Judith Godiah, Kenya, Loans, MFI, Microfinance, Mobile Banking, mobile phone banking, Mobile Phones, Mothers, Opportunity International, Opportunity Kenya, OptINnow, point-of-sale devices, Poverty, Schools, Social Change, Students, Technology, UN Secretary-General, United Nations, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON

Gates Foundation Summit: The Power of Savings

By Opportunity International on November 23, 2010

On Nov. 16-17, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation held its first-ever 2010 Global Savings Forum in Seattle, Wash. Heads of government, banking, technology and international development gathered from around the world to discuss how to bring financial access to people living in poverty, with a particular focus on helping people protect their futures through savings. Read more…

Posted in Events, Local Staffing, Our Leadership, Our Work, Savings, Strategic Partners, Technology, Where We Work
Tagged Africa, Aleksandr Kalanda, Aleksandr-Alain Kalanda, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, biometric technology, biometrics, Clients, Conference, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Financial Services for the Poor initiative, G20 Summit, Gates Foundation, Loans, Malawi, Melinda Gates, MFI, Microfinance, Mobile Banking, mobile phone banking, OIBM, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Bank of Malawi, Opportunity Malawi, Poverty, Savings, Technology

3 Things to Learn about Microfinance at our Fall Conference

By Opportunity International on October 5, 2010

If you would like to learn more about microfinance and global development, Opportunity’s microfinance conference is the event to attend. Join us for our 2010 Fall Microfinance Conference this weekend (Friday, Oct. 8-Saturday, Oct. 9) in Washington, D.C. Register here.[/intlink] Here are 3 exciting topics to learn about at our fall conference[/intlink]: Microinsurance Our breakout Read more…

Posted in Events, Microfinance Conference, Our Work, Technology, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged 2010 fall microfinance conference, alice gasatura, biometric technology, biometrics, Cell phone banking, Clients, Conference, Daryl Skoog, Ending Poverty, fall microfinance conference, Financial services, Half the Sky, internet, Julie Hindmarsh, Loans, MFI, Microensure, Microfinance, Microinsurance, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Microfinance Conference, Opportunity Rwanda, Poverty, Ruth-Anne Renaud, Rwanda, satellite communications, Sheryl WuDunn, Technology, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON

3 Breakout Sessions Not to Miss at Fall Microfinance Conference

By Emily Riemer on September 20, 2010

At Opportunity’s Fall Microfinance Conference, Oct. 8-9, in Washington, D.C., the days will be packed with breakout sessions and presentations from microfinance experts, international visitors and globally-minded individuals passionate about eradicating poverty. For me, this will be my first Opportunity microfinance conference[/intlink], and I’m really looking forward to hearing from guest speakers[/intlink] like Pulitzer Prize-winner Sheryl Read more…

Posted in Board of Governors, Events, Our Work, Rural Outreach, Strategic Partners, Technology
Tagged Africa, Agricultural finance, Agriculture, Banking on Education, biometric technology, biometrics, Board of Governors, Board of Governors Conference, Cell phone banking, Clients, Community, Conference, Daryl Skoog, Dominican Republic, Education, educational finance, educational microfinance, Ending Poverty, fall microfinance conference, Financial services, Ghana, Global Philanthropy, IDP Foundation, IDP Foundation Rising Schools Program, John Magnay, Loans, Malawi, Maria Otero, MFI, Microfinance, Microfinance Conference, Mobile Banking, Mobile Phones, Nobel Peace Prize, Opportunity International, opportunity microfinance conference, Philanthropy, Poverty, pulitzer prize, Roger Thurow, Savings, Schools, Sheryl WuDunn, Students, Technology, Tony Hall, Uganda, Washington D.C.

Innovations in Technology–Reaching More Clients

By Emily Riemer on September 8, 2010

Daryl Skoog, Opportunity’s SVP of technology, develops innovations that improve the lives of our clients. Recently, I had the chance to join a conference call with the Colorado-based Skoog to learn about the exciting strategies and products he’s working on. Some highlights from the call: Cell phone banking[/intlink] is one of the most exciting tools to bring Read more…

Posted in Bank Building, Our Work, Rural Outreach, Technology, Where We Work
Tagged Africa, ATMs, biometric technology, biometrics, Board of Governors Conference, Cell phone banking, Cell Phones, Clients, Community, Conference, Daryl Skoog, Ending Poverty, fall microfinance conference, Financial services, Kenya, M-banking, M-PESA, Malawi, MFI, Microfinance, Mobile Banking, mobile banking vehicle, mobile branches, Mobile Phones, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Microfinance Conference, Opportunity Kenya, Opportunity Malawi, opportunity microfinance conference, Poverty, Savings, Smart cards, Technology, Washington D.C., World Bank

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