Blog Archives

What We’re Reading: Council on Foreign Relations, “Five Development Innovations to Watch in 2013″

By Emily Riemer on January 14, 2013

MicroEnsure, the microinsurance subsidiary founded by Opportunity International, was recently recognized by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) as a “development innovation to watch in 2013.” In a blog post last month, CFR reported that MicroEnsure has “sign[ed] up a million [life insurance] customers [in Ghana] over 14 months, 85% of them new to insurance” by linking Read more…

Posted in Cell phone banking, Microinsurance, Our Work, Technology, What We're Reading, Where We Work
Tagged accra, Africa, Cell Phones, chronic poverty, Clients, Council on Foreign Relations, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Ghana, Health insurance, life insurance, Microensure, Microinsurance, Opportunity International, Poverty, Risks, Rwanda, Tanzania, Technology, Tigo, Weather-index crop insurance

$1.2 Million Raised, 8,000 Women Empowered in One Woman Holiday Challenge

By Opportunity International on January 10, 2013

A big thank you to the hundreds of amazing people who joined Opportunity International’s One Woman Holiday Challenge. At the end of 2012, we contributed more than $1.2 million in just 45 days to empower women in poverty! Together, we enabled over 8,000 women to grow businesses, increase their incomes, and have safe places to Read more…

Posted in Client Stories, Donors, Fundraisers, Loans, Online Giving, Our Mission and Vision, Our Work, Trust Groups, Where We Work, Women
Tagged Africa, Asia, Client Stories, Clients, Community, Donations, Education, Ghana, goals, gypsy, India, invest in women, Nicaragua, One Woman Holiday Challenge, online campaign, Opportunity International, Poverty, south america, Trust Group, Women

Opportunity Ghana Innovates to Reach More Marginalized Clients

By Dana Lunberry on January 3, 2013

Opportunity Ghana is using innovative technology to provide financial services to a greater number of impoverished people in remote and rural areas of the country, many of whom have never before had access to formal banking. Through a “hub-and-spoke” method, Opportunity International uses low-cost delivery methods, including kiosk satellite branches, point-of-sale (POS) devices, cell phone Read more…

Posted in Bank Building, Cell phone banking, Loan officer, Local Staffing, POS devices, Rural Outreach, Technology, Where We Work
Tagged accra, Africa, Banking, Cell phone banking, Clients, Community, Ending Poverty, Financial Access, Financial services, Ghana, Kumasi, Loan Officer, Loan repayment, Loans, Microfinance, mobile banking vehicle, OISL, Opportunity Ghana, Opportunity International, POS devices, Technology

Six New Year’s Goals for Us All

By Emily Riemer on January 1, 2013

At Opportunity, we are putting the finishing touches on our personal resolutions and our big organizational goals for 2013. Here are six goals — both small and big — that will inspire us all. Feed more hungry people. Be nice to your mom. Learn a new skill. Educate the next generation. Be a good friend. Read more…

Posted in Agricultural Finance, Client Stories, Education, Events, Hunger, Loans, Our Work, Where We Work, Women
Tagged Africa, Agricultural finance, Agriculture, artisan, Asia, Beatrice Boaten, Chennai, Children, Clients, cocoa farmer, Education, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Ghana, Honduras, India, Loans, Mercy Senyegah, Mexico, MFI, Microfinance, Mothers, New Year, New year's resolutions, Opportunity International, photo blog, photos, Poverty, rice, rice farmer, Richmercy School, Rwanda, south america

Christmas Greetings from Ghana and Opportunity’s Global Family

By Opportunity International on December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas from Opportunity International‘s global family to yours. On this sacred day, we wish you a Christmas filled with joy, peace and love! Effie Cooke, Opportunity’s head of human resources in Africa, brings a special message from Ghana in a joyful video below. We hope it brings you inspiration today and in the days Read more…

Posted in Events, Local Staffing, Our Leadership, Videos
Tagged Africa, Christmas, Effie Cooke, Ghana, head of hr, local staff, Opportunity Ghana, Opportunity International, videos

Opportunity Ghana Client Edward Opuku Shares the Path to Success

By Opportunity International on December 18, 2012

Edward Opuku put his years of training and education to work to build successful businesses repairing and renting stereo systems, despite the warnings of his friends and neighbors. Believing in himself, and building upon Opportunity International’s resources and training, Edward now has three shops, a warehouse and a team of 10 employees. Edward comes from Read more…

Posted in Client Stories, Education, Loans, Where We Work
Tagged accra, Africa, apprenticeship, Client Stories, Clients, Education, Family, Ghana, individual loan client, Loans, Opportunity International, Poverty, small business loans, Training, Transformation, Trust Group

Clients Stand Up and Speak Up on UN Human Rights Day

By Opportunity International on December 10, 2012

December 10 is UN Human Rights Day, an opportunity to celebrate universal human rights and advocate for the full enjoyment of all rights by all people, regardless of geography, gender, race or socioeconomic status. This year, Human Rights Day spotlights the rights of all people to make their voices heard in public life and to Read more…

Posted in Client Stories, Events, Transformation, Videos, Where We Work, Women
Tagged accra, Africa, Client Stories, Clients, Community, community organizer, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Ghana, Global Poverty, Human Rights, Human Rights Day, Microfinance, Opportunity Ghana, Opportunity International, Poverty, Transformation, United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, videos, Women

Invest in Education Innovators with Opportunity

By Opportunity International on December 6, 2012

Education is the single largest determining factor for future economic status. Yet, 130 million young people worldwide are not in school — and 70% of them are girls. If a girl cannot complete secondary school, she is at a higher risk of illiteracy, HIV and early marriage, offering little chance of reaching her potential. Comfort Read more…

Posted in Client Stories, Education, Loans, Our Work, Women
Tagged accra, Africa, Ahobrase Academy, Children, Client Stories, Clients, Comfort Appiah, Community, Education, Education finance, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Ghana, invest in education, Loans, Microfinance, Opportunity Ghana, Opportunity International, Poverty, School fee loans, School Proprietor Loans, school proprietors, Schools, Students, Women

Holiday Giving Guide: Citi Foundation, One Woman and a Gift Card of Opportunity

By Emily Riemer on December 4, 2012

This year, Opportunity International has unique and interactive ways to give the gift of opportunity to more than four million clients around the world that will not only do good, but will make you feel great. Here are a few of our favorite ways for you to partner with us this holiday season. Your gift will Read more…

Posted in Client Stories, Donors, Fundraisers, Gift Cards, Loans, Microfinance, Online Giving, Our Work, Text to Give, What We're Reading, Women
Tagged Ada, Africa, Bob Annibale, Christmas, Citi Foundation, City A.M., Clients, Donations, Financial services, fundraisers, Ghana, Gift Cards, Global Poverty, Holiday, holiday giving, Loans, match, Microfinance, One Woman Holiday Challenge, Opportunity Ghana, Opportunity Gift Cards, Opportunity International, Patience Dameh, Poverty, text to give, Women

Brighten Your Black Friday and Give the Gift of Opportunity

By Opportunity International on November 23, 2012

This holiday season, as you hunt for the perfect gift, consider giving friends, family and co-workers an Opportunity Gift Card to bring hope and opportunity to clients like Patience Dameh of Ghana (right). Your friends can use Opportunity Gift Cards to empower some of the millions of clients around the world like Patience who use Opportunity Read more…

Posted in Client Stories, Events, Gift Cards, Loans, Online Giving, Our Work, Women
Tagged Ada, Africa, Black Friday, Client Stories, Clients, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Ghana, Gift Cards, Gift Idea, Global Poverty, Kasseh Market, kente cloth, Loans, Microfinance, online giving, Opportunity Ghana, Opportunity Gift Cards, Opportunity International, Patience Dameh, Poverty, Savings, Women

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