Blog Archives

International Women’s Day: Coming Together to Recognize and Celebrate

By Marisa Brown on March 3, 2010

International Women’s Day is about coming together to recognize and celebrate the social, economic and political achievements of women all around the world. On this global day of celebration, it’s important to focus on the individual stories of women who show resilience, strength and courage each and every day. Opportunity International works with these very Read more…

Posted in Our Mission and Vision, Our Work, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged Children, Community, Community development, Education, Family, Female entrepreneurs, Global Opportunity Quilt, International Women's Day, LEAD Initiative, Orphans, Rosemary, Schools, Uganda, Women, Women Leaders, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON

Yes, We Care, Kenya

By Cynthia Greenwood on February 12, 2010

Capturing the stories of our field staff and clients during our time in Uganda and Kenya inspired us, and we hope it inspires you. While we were having dinner on our final night in Kenya, Ruth-Anne Renaud gave me the idea of starting up a fundraising group at OptINnow.org. It was easy to do, and Read more…

Posted in Loans, OptINnow, Our Mission and Vision, Our Work, Where We Work, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged Build businesses, Children, Education, Ending Poverty, Families, Fundraising, Kenya, Loans, Nutrition, OptINnow, Ruth-Anne, Uganda, We Care Kenya, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON

Two Days of Discovery in Uganda

By Ruth-Anne Renaud on February 8, 2010

Cynthia Greenwood, Opportunity’s public relations specialist, and I recently traveled to Uganda and Kenya to capture the stories of Opportunity’s clients, programs, loan officers and services. We started our trip in Kampala, Uganda, where we spent two days discovering the intersections amongst our clients: a school proprietor, a Trust group, marketplace vendors, and children that Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips, Loans, Local Staffing, Microinsurance, Our Mission and Vision, Rural Outreach, Savings, Training, Trust Groups, Where We Work, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged AIDS, Banking on Education, Children, Client Stories, Clients, Education, Financial services, Kenya, Loan Officers, Loans, Savings, School, School fee loans, Training, Trust Group, Uganda, Women

Rabia Mwakasaka’s New Beginning

By Sonja Egeland Kelly on January 5, 2010

As we jump into 2010 with both feet, I am reminded of Rabia Mwakasaka’s story. Rabia is a widow with three children. Before she came to Opportunity Tanzania, she worked out of her home, but could not seem to make ends meet. She didn’t have the capital to buy large quantities of raw materials, so Read more…

Posted in Our Mission and Vision, Our Work
Tagged Children, Client Stories, Community, Holiday, Loans, New Year, Opportunity Tanzania, Spotlight, Tanzania

Creating New Traditions

By Marisa Brown on December 22, 2009

We are always encouraged when we hear stories about Opportunity International’s initiatives that are becoming part of families’ traditions, such as OptINnow holiday gift cards and the One Hen book and website. In addition to empowering aspiring entrepreneurs to start businesses so that they can work their way out of poverty, OptINnow gift cards also Read more…

Posted in One Hen Children’s Book, OptINnow
Tagged Children, Christmas, Education, Empowerment, Family, Gift Cards, Gift Idea, Holiday, OptINnow

Gender Integration highlighted at USAID Administrator Confirmation Hearing

By Ruth-Anne Renaud on December 4, 2009

We are pleased to share that on Wednesday, December 2nd at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Confirmation Hearing for Dr. Rajiv Shah, the nominee for USAID Administrator, Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) posed a a question to Dr. Shah on gender integration, and specifically asked for Dr. Shah’s commitment to carry out gender integration as part Read more…

Posted in Loans, Training, Trust Groups, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged Children, Dr. Rajiv Shah, Education, Female entrepreneurs, Food Security Initiative, Foreign assistance, Gender, Gender integration, Infant-mortality rate, Microfinance, Poverty, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Ben Cardin, USAID, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, Women's rights, WON

Shalom… the way things ought to be.

By David M. Knibbe on November 28, 2009

While in Ghana a week ago, I visited the Peace International School. In this particular location just outside of Sunyani, Opportunity International and IDP Foundation Rising Schools are partnering to provide financial services and training to the private school’s proprietor so she can offer a quality education to more children living in poverty. Our clients Read more…

Posted in Faith in Action, Our Mission and Vision, Our Motivation, Our Work, Training
Tagged Banking on Education, Children, Clients, Education, Financial services, Ghana, IDP Foundation, Peace International School, Poverty, Training

Live from the Smithonian Institution: One Hen Awarded Best Book for Young Children

By Ruth-Anne Renaud on November 9, 2009

The Outreach Council of the African Studies Association annually salutes the authors and illustrators of outstanding books about Africa published or distributed in the United States for young children and older readers. Today, Katie Smith Milway’s One Hen: How One Loan Made a Big Difference is commended for the life lessons it instills in youth, Read more…

Posted in One Hen Children’s Book, What We're Reading, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged African Studies, Agriculture, Children, Education, Katie Smith Milway, One Hen, Outreach Council of the African Studies Association, Poverty, Sustainable development

Live from International Reading Association: One Hen sparks conversation among Educators

By Ruth-Anne Renaud on November 6, 2009

After a great morning with the students at Sidwell Friends School, I had the pleasure of joining Katie at the International Reading Association for an engaging panel discussion on Friday afternoon. The evolution of One Hen and its transformation from text to technology has spawned a stimulating conversation amongst a panel of educators and their Read more…

Posted in One Hen Children’s Book, What We're Reading, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged Children, Donations, Education, Entrepreneurship, Ghana, International Reading Association, Katie Smith Milway, Nigeria, One Hen, OptINnow, Philanthropy, Reading Across Continents, Technology, Washington D.C., Women's Philanthropy

Teaching Children the Power of Microfinance: Sidwell Friend’s School in Washington D.C.

By Ruth-Anne Renaud on November 6, 2009

The 6th graders at Sidwell Friend’s School in Washington D.C. eagerly welcomed Katie Smith Milway this morning, author of children’s book, One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference, a story that teaches children the power of microfinance to transform lives. This occasion marks the beginning of multiple events in D.C. this weekend Read more…

Posted in One Hen Children’s Book, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged Children, Education, Ghana, Katie Smith Milway, Kids Can Press, Microfinance, One Hen, Women's Opportunity Network, WON

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