Blog Archives

Growing a Family Small Business

By Ally Lynch on May 22, 2013

Francisco and Fidel Aleman are brothers working together to run a wood artisan business that has been in their family for the past 15 years. They were initially taught the trade by their “abuelo” Jose Jacinto Aleman. Jose is now 95 but still hangs around their workshop during the day. Through partnering with Opportunity Nicaragua Read more…

Posted in Client Stories, Our Work
Tagged Nicaragua, Wood work

What We’re Watching: Vicki Escarra on CEOIntroNet

By Ian Haisley on January 30, 2013

In a recent interview with CEOIntroNet, our CEO Vicki Escarra highlighted Opportunity’s innovative approach in the field. Watch the footage to hear more about Opportunity’s unique approach to working with donors and the community economic development work underway in Nicaragua, where donors and staff are working together on a community economic development (CED) program. Focused Read more…

Posted in Donors, In the News, Our Leadership, Our Method, Training, Transformation, What We're Watching, Where We Work, Women
Tagged Agriculture, community economic development, Education, Entrepreneurs, Nicaragua, Social Entrepreneurship, Training, Vicki Escarra

What We’re Reading: Vicki Escarra in the Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneurial Supporters Empower Communities in Nicaragua

By Opportunity International on January 11, 2013

At Opportunity International, we see our experienced, resourced entrepreneurial supporters as a major asset to the organization that has led to ground-breaking innovations in our work. Today, in the Harvard Business Review, our CEO Vicki Escarra wrote a piece entitled “Funders Can Give More than Money.” Opportunity International’s staff and supporters are a team of innovators. Read more…

Posted in Donors, Loans, Our Leadership, Our Work, Training, Transformation, What We're Reading, Where We Work
Tagged Agriculture, Asset-Based Community Development, CED, Client Stories, Clients, Community, community economic development, David Allman, David Kone, donors, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Fundraising, Geralyn Sheehan, Harvard Business Review, Harvard University, Loans, Microfinance, Mission, Nicaragua, Opportunity International, Opportunity Nicaragua, Poverty, south america, Training, Vicki Escarra, what we're reading

$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

What We’re Reading: Malin Akerman’s Commitment to Opportunity featured in Us Weekly

By Emily Riemer on November 28, 2012

Malin Akerman — actress and Opportunity International supporter — was featured this week in the Dec. 3 print edition of “Us Weekly.” In it, Malin talks about her trip to Tanzania in March and her visit to see our entrepreneurial high school at Nicaragua in July. We’re thrilled to see Malin’s passion for our work Read more…

Posted in Donors, What We're Reading, Where We Work, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
Tagged Africa, Blog, donor, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Global Poverty, Insight Trip, Latin America, Malin Akerman, Nicaragua, Opportunity International, Poverty, Tanzania, Us Weekly, what we're reading, YAO, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity

Minnesota Supporters Spin, Discuss and Dine, Taking Action for our Clients

By Guest Post on November 28, 2012

This November, Opportunity International supporters in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area were busy holding fundraising and awareness-raising events for the sake of our clients. Meet two Minnesota supporters — Cassie Burns and Steve Waters — who each share their experiences hosting recent get-togethers in their hometown. Cassie was co-host of a panel discussion with local women Read more…

Posted in Donors, Events, Fundraisers, Insight Trips, Loans, Microfinance, Microinsurance, Online Giving, Our Leadership, Our Mission and Vision, Our Work, Women
Tagged Bogotá, Bonnie St. John, Cartagena, Colombia, donors, Ending Poverty, fundraisers, How Great Women Lead, Insight Trip, Loans, Microfinance, Minneapolis, Nicaragua, Noemi Vivas Ocaña, Online fundraising, Opportunity International, Opportunity Nicaragua, Vicki Escarra, women entrepreneurs, Women Leaders

It’s More Exciting than Landing a Movie with Tom Cruise

By Guest Post on October 30, 2012

The following post was written by actress and Young Ambassador, Malin Akerman. A couple weeks ago in L.A., I had the pleasure of reuniting with two incredible women, Geralyn Sheehan, Program Director at Opportunity Nicaragua, and Debbie Levin, President of the Environmental Media Association (EMA). I met Debbie when I got involved with EMA’s School Read more…

Posted in Donors, Education, Events, Local Staffing, Online Giving, Our Work, Where We Work, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
Tagged Abbi Antablin, Agriculture, Blogs, Children, Education, Emprendedora School, Events, Facebook, Geralyn Sheehan, Granada, Latin America, Loan Officer, Loans, Los Angeles, Malin Akerman, Nicaragua, Online fundraising, Opportunity International, Opportunity Nicaragua, Schools, Social Media, Students, tourism, Twitter, YAO, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity

Young Ambassador Malin Akerman at EMA Event on Opportunity Nicaragua at the Microsoft Experience

By Abbi Antablin on October 25, 2012

Environmentalists, Opportunity staff, and some of Hollywood’s finest came together to support entrepreneurship, microfinance and education at last week’s benefit hosted by Malin Akerman and the Environmental Media Association (EMA). The benefit raised funds for Opportunity Nicaragua’s Emprendedora School, located near Granada. Microsoft generously hosted the event at its new venue, The Microsoft Experience, and Read more…

Posted in Agricultural Finance, Donors, Education, Events, Loans, Local Staffing, Our Work, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
Tagged Abbi Antablin, actress, Agriculture, Education, Emprendedora School, Geralyn Sheehan, Granada, Loans, Los Angeles, Malin Akerman, Microfinance, Nicaragua, Opportunity International, Opportunity Nicaragua, Schools, Students, tourism, Women, YAO, yao-los angeles, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity

The Fruits of their Labor

By Opportunity International on September 3, 2012

As we celebrate our Monday off for Labor Day, most of us don’t realize it’s a national holiday started by the labor movement to honor the achievements of working people with a much-needed day of rest. Our clients are some of the hardest-working people we know and so we wanted to take a moment to Read more…

Posted in Client Stories, Events, Loan officer, Loans, Training, Where We Work
Tagged Africa, Asia, Client Stories, Clients, Community, Education, Ending Poverty, Entrepreneurs, Financial services, Global Poverty, Holiday, labor day, Loan Officer, Loans, Microfinance, National holiday, Nicaragua, Opportunity International, Philippines, Savings, south america, Tanzania, Training

Meet Our Staff: How World Travel Brought Me Home to YAO

By Allison Kooser on September 1, 2012

For the past month, when people have asked me how I am doing, I have answered, “I’m living the dream!” As the new manager of Young Ambassadors for Opportunity, I spend my days interacting with smart, motivated, and fascinating individuals, travelling around the country strengthening communities of like-minded people in YAO chapters, and developing plans Read more…

Posted in Events, Insight Trips, Meet Our Staff, Our Mission and Vision, Our Work, Where We Work, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
Tagged Africa, chapters, Clients, Community, donor, El Salvador, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Global Poverty, Insight Trip, Insurance, Loans, Meet Our Staff, Mexico, Microfinance, Nicaragua, Opportunity International, Poverty, Rwanda, Savings, south america, Tanzania, Training, Travel, YAO, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity

Subscribe to the Blog

Search the Blog

Archives

Categories