Blog Archives

Climb a Mountain, Get Muddy: YAO’s Adventures on OptINnow

Escape to Bear Mountain, N.Y. YAO-NY member Brandon Green, an investment banker, was looking for a way to get out of the city. So he decided to start a “YAO Adventure Club of sorts,” and brought a group of ten people up to hike on Bear Mountain, N.Y. a few weekends ago. “Everyone chipped in Read more…

Posted in Events, Loans, OptINnow, Our Work, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Agricultural Advisor John Magnay Talks Food Security in Africa, and How Agricultural Finance Can Feed a Continent

“Africa is capable of sustaining its food needs,” said John Magnay, Opportunity’s senior agricultural advisor. “[But] if you look at [crop] yields in Africa, it is at 40% of what it should be.” Magnay, a British-born, 33-year veteran of the agricultural development sector in Africa, has worked with several African governments to develop agricultural advancements, and Read more…

Posted in Loans, Local Staffing, Microinsurance, Our Work, Rural Outreach, Technology, What We're Reading, Where We Work
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What We’re Reading: World Finance Magazine Discusses Opportunity’s Agricultural Finance Program

Amosi Kasamira’s face lights up as he shares his plans for the next season. ‘My vision is to replace the grass roof of our home to better protect us from the sun and rain,’ he explains, ‘and I intend to cultivate ten acres next season.’ –Excerpted from: ‘There is Still a Lot of Work Ahead,’ World Read more…

Posted in Loans, Microinsurance, Our Work, Rural Outreach, Savings, Training, What We're Reading, Where We Work
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

An Unforgettable Family Trip to Kenya and Malawi

Opportunity supporter and member of the Board of Governors, Rich McClure, writes of his experiences on the July 2010 Family Week trip to Kenya and his visits to Malawi: Visiting eastern Africa, we met women and men who have enterprises fueled by , who are selling their goods in crowded, dirty marketplaces in Nairobi and Lilongwe. Read more…

Posted in Board of Governors, Faith in Action, Insight Trips, Local Staffing, Our Mission and Vision, Our Motivation, Our Work, Rural Outreach, Trust Groups, Where We Work
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

YAO Kicks Off their Chapter in Washington, D.C. with Guest Speaker from Kenya

A few weeks ago, members and supporters of the Young Ambassadors for Opportunity (YAO) gathered in Washington, D.C. at the Financial Services Roundtable for the kickoff of the D.C. chapter of YAO. These globally-minded young professionals were there to network and to meet Betty Mutua, a regional manager at . Betty brought her nine years of experience Read more…

Posted in Events, Loans, Local Staffing, Our Leadership, Our Work, Where We Work, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Faith, Hope and Love on our Journey to Kenya

 Opportunity’s John Kamperschroer, VP of Resource Development, recently returned from an Opportunity Family Week Trip to Kenya. He shares reflections from his travels.  As we traveled along the bumpy roads of Kenya, dust and exhaust coated our lungs while receiving–as one driver put it–an “African massage.” We were on our way to visit three Kenyan schools: Read more…

Posted in Faith in Action, Insight Trips, Loans, Local Staffing, Our Mission and Vision, Our Work, Where We Work
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Top 10 Blog Posts on Education

It’s that time of year again… it’s almost time to go back to school! And for people living in poverty, having access to education is a crucial factor that can help them improve the futures of their children, their communities and themselves. That’s why Opportunity[/intlink] offers school fee loans, as well as education for the establishment of local schools Read more…

Posted in Events, Local Staffing, One Hen Children’s Book, Our Mission and Vision, Our Motivation, Our Work, What We're Reading, Where We Work
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Melinda French Gates on the Impact of Agricultural Finance

 Want to do more to impact global poverty? In an interview in the August issue of Smithsonian magazine, Melinda Gates outlines the techniques the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is using to fight global poverty in the 21st century. (“Melinda French Gates on Saving Lives,” by Terence Monmaney) It’s part of the magazine’s 40th-anniversary issue, featuring ”40 Things You Read more…

Posted in Loans, Microinsurance, Our Work, Rural Outreach, Savings, Strategic Partners, Technology, Training, What We're Reading, Where We Work, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Spotlight on the Annual Report: Empowering Emerging Women Leaders in Microfinance

Meet Beatrice William. Beatrice is undergoing training through Opportunity International’s Emerging Leaders Program – part of Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Women Initiative–which trains talented women in banking and finance to help them establish or advance careers in microfinance as loan officers and bank managers. “When I heard that I had been chosen to come to Nairobi for the Emerging Leaders Read more…

Posted in Our Mission and Vision, Our Motivation, Our Work, Strategic Partners, Training, What We're Reading, Where We Work, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,