Blog Archives

Vote for OptINnow in the Paperless Choice Challenge

By Megan Colgan on July 27, 2010

’s fundraising campaign, OptINnow, is entered in the Paperless Choice Challenge funded by the Overbrook Foundation. The contest is looking to reward non-profits with innovative digital fundraising techniques. The winners receive $5,000! OptINnow is an innovative, multi-functional digital fundraising campaign. Help optinnow.org win the contest, so Opportunity International can receive $5,000 to help end global poverty. Faster. How Read more…

Posted in Events, OptINnow, Our Work, Technology
Tagged Ending Poverty, Facebook, Financial services, Global Opportunity Quilt, Microfinance, Mother's Day, Mothers, Opportunity International, OptINnow, Poverty, Technology, Twitter, Women

Some settling may have occurred. Please shake well…

By Opportunity International on May 12, 2010

by Alexandra Arch, Writer and Uganda Insight Trip Participant I suspect that few things can shake the senses — the soul really — like traveling. More specifically, traveling to Africa. A first-timer to Africa, I have landed in Kampala, Uganda. Drawing on my experiences in other exotic venues, I am no stranger to the daily Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips, Loans, Our Mission and Vision, Our Work, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged Africa, Children, Client Stories, Education, Global Opportunity Quilt, Half the Sky, Insight Trip, Kampala, Loans, Microfinance, Opportunity International, OptINnow, Poverty, Sandy Arch, Schools, Students, Uganda, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, WON, Youth

Happy Mother’s Day from Opportunity International!

By Opportunity International on May 9, 2010

Please be sure to visit our Global Opportunity Quilt at OptINnow.org/Mothers to see the beautiful patches purchased and read the inspiring messages supporters have dedicated to the important women in their lives. We at Opportunity have enjoyed sharing our own reflections on this important day. Below is a list of our blog entries in honor Read more…

Posted in Events, OptINnow, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged Children, Global Opportunity Quilt, Half the Sky, Holiday, Microfinance, Mother's Day, Mothers, Opportunity International, OptINnow, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON

Five Reasons to Honor Moms Everywhere This Mother’s Day

By Cynthia Greenwood on May 5, 2010

This Mother’s Day, Opportunity International celebrates moms around the world, especially our clients who work hard, most under challenging circumstances, to provide for their families. In this blog, we consider just a few of the reasons why moms are so special, as illustrated in the stories that follow. Feel free to add your own stories Read more…

Posted in OptINnow, Our Mission and Vision, Our Motivation, Our Work
Tagged Africa, Agriculture, Children, Client Stories, Colombia, Global Opportunity Quilt, Holiday, Honduras, Malawi, Mexico, Microfinance, Mother's Day, Mothers, Opportunity International, OptINnow, Rwanda, Trust Groups, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON

Let’s Celebrate Moms Everywhere

By Cynthia Greenwood on April 30, 2010

Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate the special women in our lives who made sacrifices for us and taught us how to be “good” people. For me, this was my mom, Kathleen Nightingale. I grew up with five brothers and sisters outside of Valparaiso, Ind. My father worked long hours as a tool Read more…

Posted in OptINnow, Our Mission and Vision, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged Children, Client Stories, Gift Idea, Global Opportunity Quilt, Holiday, Insight Trip, Microfinance, Mother's Day, Mothers, Opportunity International, OptINnow, Poverty, Uganda, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON

Women Helping Women: Panel Discussion Inspires Women’s Investment Group

By Emily Riemer on April 29, 2010

It is a unique situation: a roomful of professional U.S. women gathered together to learn how to help expand the professional prospects of poor women in other countries. At the lunchtime talk, “Beyond the Basics of Microfinance: Empowering women through scalable, sustainable, multi-faceted financial solutions,” hosted by Women Investment Professionals (WIP), Chicago women from the Read more…

Posted in OptINnow, Our Work, Strategic Partners, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Children, Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs, Education, Global Opportunity Quilt, Half the Sky, Insight Trip, Kenya, Microfinance, Mother's Day, Nike Foundation, Opportunity International, OptINnow, Poverty, Ruth-Anne, Savings, Trust Groups, Women, Women Investment Professionals, Women Leaders, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON

A mother’s inspiring story from Uganda…

By Opportunity International on April 28, 2010

When Nassaka Maria Kasujja noticed that there was a need for educational facilities in her community of Kampala, Uganda, the widowed mother of two decided to take action. Maria took out her first loan of $101 from Opportunity International to establish a local primary school. Four loans later, the school provides an education to Read more…

Posted in Our Work, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged Africa, Client Stories, Education, Gift Idea, Global Opportunity Quilt, Holiday, Microfinance, Mother's Day, Opportunity International, Poverty, Uganda, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, WON

Gaining Insight into Women Worldwide

By Marisa Brown on March 6, 2010

An important component of celebrating International Women’s Day is being aware of and recognizing the difficulties and challenges women still face daily around the world. Opportunity International believes you can even take the common cliché “think globally, act locally” and apply it to this day. We plan on doing this for our in-office International Women’s Read more…

Posted in Events, Insight Trips, OptINnow, Our Work, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged Business Loan, Clients, Education, Ending Poverty, Female entrepreneurs, Global Opportunity Quilt, Insight Trip, Insurance, International Women’s Day, Loan Officer, Savings, Training, Trust Groups, Uganda, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON

Celebrate International Women’s Day with “Half the Sky”

By Ian Haisley on March 4, 2010

One way you can celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8 is to begin reading the book, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. Late last year, Julie Hindmarsh, a leader in the Women’s Opportunity Network (WON) of Opportunity International, suggested that WON host a “Half Read more…

Posted in OptINnow, Our Mission and Vision, Our Work, What We're Reading, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged Global Opportunity Quilt, Half the Sky, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON

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

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