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What We’re Reading: “Tapping into the Potential of the Unbanked in the DRC”
This post, “Tapping into the Potential of the Unbanked in the DRC,” was originally published Wednesday morning on ACCION International‘s Center for Financial Inclusion Blog, written by Kadita Tshibaka, a member of ‘s . Kadita was born and raised in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and spent 33 years working around the world in Read more…
Tagged Accion, Africa, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Blog, Board of Directors, Center for Financial Inclusion, Center for Financial Inclusion Blog, Citigroup, Clients, Dartmouth College, DR Congo, DRC, DRC Grand Opening, Financial Access, Financial services, FINCA, Formal Labor Force, Gallup Poll, Gates Foundation, Global Findex, Kadita "A.T." Tshibaka, Kinshasa, Loans, MFI, Microfinance, Opportunity DRC, Opportunity International, Portfolios of the Poor, Poverty, ProCredit, Savings, savings club, sub-Saharan Africa, Technology, unbanked, World Bank
Meet the Women of Opportunity
Today, on International Women’s Day, the world comes together to celebrate the achievements, strength and rights of women. On this day, we can all take a few extra moments to see and feel the connections that exist in the community of women that contribute to Opportunity International. It is through these connections that our supporters, staff Read more…
Tagged Africa, Asia, Colombia, DR Congo, DRC, Ghana, Honduras, India, International Women's Day, IWD2012, Latin America, local staff, Mothers, Opportunity International, Philippines, staff, Supporters, Women, women clients, Women Leaders, Women's Opportunity Network, WON
How Will You Celebrate Women on March 8th?
In just one week, on Thursday, March 8th, the world will celebrate International Women’s Day 2012. On this day, organizations and individuals will gather to celebrate the economic, political, and social achievements of women past, present, and future. Here at Opportunity, where 85% of our clients are women, we’re passionate about equipping the next generation of women Read more…
Tagged biometric fingerprint technology, Clients, Community, DR Congo, Education, Ending Poverty, Facebook, Financial services, Global Poverty, Half the Sky, International Women's Day, IWD2012, Loans, MFI, Microfinance, Mothers, Opportunity DRC, Opportunity International, Savings, School fee loans, Schools, Social Media, Students, Uganda, Women, Women's Philanthropy
What We’re Reading: “Ten Biggest Positive Africa Stories of 2011,” The New Yorker
“…Yes, there is tragedy in Africa, and you will always find it there, and we must take those tragedies seriously, but there is also extraordinary opportunity. And if you see this continent as the continent of the future, it sort of reframes it. This is a continent that, by 2050, will be the largest and Read more…
Tagged Africa, Arab Spring, Bono, Cell phone banking, DR Congo, elections, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, famine, Ghana, Healthcare, Horn of Africa, Kenya, Liberia, life insurance, M-PESA, Microensure, Microinsurance, mobile phone banking, Nobel Peace Prize, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, The New Yorker, Tigo, what we're reading
Breakout Session: Developing the Next Generation of Microfinance Bankers
Recruiting, hiring and retaining key staff–from loan officers to CEOs–who are technically excellent and who embrace a culture of serving people living in poverty with client-centered products is critical to our success. Find out more about Opportunity International’s partnership with Credit Suisse to build a comprehensive leadership and staff development initiative across our operations in Read more…
Tagged Africa, Anessa Chui, Credit Suisse, Democratic Republic of Congo, DR Congo, DRC Grand Opening, emerging leaders program, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Goldman Sachs, Hire Right Train Right Treat Right, Loan Officer, Microfinance, Nadine Pembele, OIC2011, Opportunity DRC, Opportunity International, opportunity international canada, Opportunity International Microfinance Conference, Training
Breakout Session: Why Women? Why Now?
The impact of focusing on women is thus multi-fold: not only will empowering women [with financial services] uplift the lives of women, but it also produces a wider impact on multiple generations and the communities in which they live. -2011 Study by Women’s World Banking In families where have an income, they have a voice Read more…
Tagged Africa, Deborah Farrington, Diane Griffin, DR Congo, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Microfinance, Nadine Pembele, OIC2011, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Microfinance Conference, Ruth-Anne Renaud, StarVest Partners, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, Women's World Banking, WON
Conference LiveBlog: Conference Opens with Kadita “A.T.” Tshibaka, Board of Directors
The 2011 Opportunity International Conference“Innovating to End Poverty,” kicks off just moments ago with opening remarks from Lillian Covington, VP of Resource Development, and our CEO Bill Morgenstern, who welcomed attendees. Throughout the weekend, we’ll be streaming live video of plenary sessions and breakout sessions at the conference. Watch it live at opportunity.org/live. Welcoming attendees to Read more…
Tagged Africa, Bill Morgenstern, Board of Directors, Democratic Republic of Congo, DR Congo, DRC, Global Poverty, Kadita "A.T." Tshibaka, Microfinance, OIC2011, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Microfinance Conference
Breaking Down Barriers & Building Access Through Microfinance Innovations
Targeted to reach the most marginalized, Opportunity’s financial products help hardworking people overcome the inherent obstacles of poverty and build a more stable, secure and fulfilling life. Throughout the developing world, people are excluded from access to financial services by barriers like meager, unsteady income; illiteracy; gender bias; expensive transportation and geographic isolation. To address these challenges, Opportunity carefully crafts savings, loan, training Read more…
Tagged 2010 Annual Report, Africa, ATMs, biometric fingerprint technology, Cell phone banking, Democratic Republic of Congo, DR Congo, DRC, Ending Poverty, Insurance, Loans, Microfinance, mobile banks, Opportunity International, point-of-sale devices, satellite branches, Savings, Technology, Training
Update: Opportunity DRC in Kinshasa Grows, Expanding Microfinance to More People of the Congo
Opportunity Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) celebrated its grand opening on May 19th in the capital city of Kinshasa. Since Opportunity International‘s arrival in the DRC, we’ve seen marked changes in the lives of the Congolese people. Opportunity DRC is extending much-needed microfinance products in a country where only 1% of the population has access Read more…
Tagged 10000 women initiative, Africa, Clients, Democratic Republic of Congo, DR Congo, DRC, DRC Grand Opening, Emerging Leaders, emerging leaders program, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Gilbert Lagaillarde, Global Poverty, Goldman Sachs, Kinshasa, Loan Officer, Loans, local staffing, MFI, Microfinance, Opportunity DRC, Opportunity International, Poverty, Savings, Technology, Training, Women
What We’re Watching: Kadita “A.T.” Tshibaka’s Voice of America Interview on Congo Grand Opening
Following the grand opening of our first regulated microfinance institution in the DR Congo, Congolese native and Opportunity supporter Kadita “A.T.” Tshibaka appeared on Voice of America‘s In Focus TV program, which airs throughout Africa, to discuss the growth of microfinance in the DRC and the impact of Opportunity DRC on the lives of the Read more…
Tagged Bank Building, Banking on Education, Children, Clients, Congo, Congolese, Democratic Republic of Congo, DR Congo, DRC Grand Opening, Education, Education finance, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Kadita “A.T.” Tshibaka, Kinshasa, Loans, Media, MFI, Microfinance, Opportunity DRC, Opportunity International, Poverty, Schools, Students, TV
