Photos, from top: Client Godfrey Lutwama in the Kalerwe Market in Kampala, Uganda; Mobile bank in Uganda (Credit: Oliver Krato); Client Deepa (right) with tiffin boxes, India; An unexpected observer in Cartagena, Colombia; Son of groundnut farming client Edward Yohane, Malawi; Fishermen in Maputo, Mozambique.

David Santoso is our Online Community Specialist, in charge of our pages on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and more. Stay tuned to the Opportunity Blog for more photos, posts and updates from David.

Three girls, one shirt, one pair of shoes, 100 days, 2,500 dollars, 17 women, 85 lives. What does this mean? Nothing to most of us, but when those three girls are Abby, Bethany, and Chrissy it means a lot more. These three junior high girls decided to wear one shirt and one pair of shoes for 100 days to raise over $2,500! And for what? To do something that could help 17 women and their families in the developing world improve their lives.

Three junior high Opportunity supporters go "Plaid for People" and tell their story on Opportunity Canada's blog. (From left: Bethany, Chrissy and Abby)

“After reading ‘Do Hard Things‘ by Alex and Brett Harris we were inspired to make a difference. We really wanted to do something, anything really,” Bethany said, “so after some research we decided to raise money for Opportunity International. We wanted to do something useful with our teen years. We wanted to change lives.” And so they did by starting the “Plaid For People” campaign.

The project started on November 1, 2011 and will come to an end on February 8, 2012. On their story page on OpportunityCan–Opportunity Canada’s online platform where people can share their story, raise funds and invite others to end poverty and transform lives–the girls said:

We are wearing one shirt and one pair of shoes for 100 days. The shirt represent the very small amount of clothing that people in poverty have compared to us, and the shoes represent that 50% of the world (300 million of them being children) do not have shoes, and even if they do, they only have one pair.

By doing this we’re trying to place ourselves in their shoes, literally. We will be going around door-to-door in our neighborhoods raising money, holding events at our church and anything else that we can to meet our goal.

And they did. They fundraised at their church, craft fairs, Ten Thousand Villages, and a little bit in their neighborhoods. Arlene, Abby’s mom, said, “The three girls have astonished us with their dream to change world poverty through sacrifice and wearing one shirt and one pair of shoes for one hundred days to both experience simplicity and to raise awareness for Opportunity International.” She went on to say, “As a parent of one of the girls, I was skeptical. So I chose to sit back and ‘just see’ if they could actually raise money this way. But all their hard work, determination, and commitment to excellence has inspired many in our community! I’ve had to, fortunately, rearrange my thinking about teenagers and not put a lid on their dreams and abilities.”

So why on earth would three junior high girls want to do something like this? When we asked why they responded with, “For the glory of God.”

To learn more about the Plaid for People project, leave comments or make a donation, visit plaidforpeople.opportunitycan.ca.

NOTE (Opportunity Canada): The 17 women helped was calculated by taking the $2,500 raised and dividing it by the average loan size to first time clients of $142. For every one loan, it is our estimate that 4-6 others (children, relatives, employees, etc.) are impacted. Therefore the 85 lives impacted was calculated by taking the number of potential loans, 17, multiplied by 5, average number of others impacted. Funds that are generously raised and donated to Opportunity International are used to provide financial services, including loans, savings, insurance and training, to people trapped in poverty who can benefit from them.

Entrepreneurial Technical High School in Diriomo, Nicaragua

Opportunity International is launching a Technical High School to teach youth entrepreneurship skills in the agriculture and tourism industries as part of its community development initiative in Nicaragua.

Opportunity recently broke ground on its Entrepreneurial Technical High School in Diriomo, Nicaragua. The school will provide rural students with the education and training they need to rise out of poverty. It will also provide the community with educated and skilled workers to catalyze regional economic growth.

The first class of 50 students will matriculate in February and there are currently 30 students registered. Students will receive education in a high school academic curriculum, plus technical training in tourism and agriculture, all while learning to speak English. To date, two classrooms, the administrative office, a meeting room and restrooms have been completed. The director of the school as well as three teachers have been hired.

If you’d like to get involved and lend your crucial support to rural education and community development in Nicaragua, please visit opportunity.org/give and start an online fundraiser for Nicaragua.

It was at this lunch that I first learned of Opportunity International from a group of women connected to the organization that were seated next to me. As I listened to Ambassador Verveer’s words and spoke with Opportunity International supporters and staff, I saw a direct parallel between Verveer’s message, Opportunity’s story, and my own philanthropic and professional interests. This was the moment when Opportunity’s mission and work left a lasting impression on me. We know that women represent 70% of the population living below two dollars a day, and they make up 84% of Opportunity’s client base. As was echoed in Ambassador’s Verveer’s remarks, investments in women directly impact the lives of their children and are leveraged to influence the well-being of their entire communities.

Fast-forward nearly two years and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining Opportunity International’s team as a campaign strategist. In this position, I’ll deliver engaging outreach campaigns that offer new ways for you to get involved and partner with us to provide innovative financial services to people throughout the developing world. Through these campaigns and initiatives, we’ll enable our clients to transform their lives, their families and communities. Every day at Opportunity, we provide them with microfinance tools, training and support, and every day I’m sustained by seeing our courageous clients work their way out of poverty and into lives of hope and stability. I’m so excited to be here and I can’t wait to keep you all updated about Opportunity’s outreach campaigns and their impact!

Ally Lynch joined Opportunity-US in early January as our new Outreach Campaign Specialist. Stay tuned to the Opportunity Blog for future posts and updates from Ally.

1. Day 1 in Colombia – a photo blog of clients and staff… Click here to read the post.
2. My economic and emotional take on Colombia, day 2… Click here.
3. Agricultural finance, a yucca plant, and hibiscus growers in Nicaragua… Click here.
4. Meeting the artisans of Nicaragua’s Ojalá. Why YOU should take an Insight Trip…  Click here.

Read the travelers’ reflections at adventuringincolombianicaragua.tumblr.com, and if you’d like to travel on an Insight Trip to meet our clients and local staff, and see microfinance at work firsthand in Latin America and all over the world, check out the Insight Trip calendar at opportunity.org/insight. Buen viaje!

Click here to watch new video on credit-suisse.com featuring Opportunity's technological innovations in Malawi, and the impact they have on the lives and businesses of rural clients like Ellen Patrick (pictured).

In addition, Credit Suisse has just completed a new video, “Banking on Wheels in Malawi,” about their visit to Opportunity Malawi’s microfinance operations. It features two very compelling client stories, interviews with Alefa Mtungia (south regional manager) and Antoni Musonzo (a loan officer from Blantyre), and highlights our mobile banking strategy, including cell phones, ATMs, biometric fingerprint technology, and more. It also emphasizes the importance of financial literacy, especially regarding savings. Finally, you can also find Opportunity featured on Credit Suisse’s Corporate Responsibility homepage.

We’re grateful for institutional strategic partners like Credit Suisse and for contributors like you who make it possible to bring life-changing opportunity to people living in extreme poverty around the world.

Martin Luther King, Jr. (Photo courtesy of nobelprize.org)

This problem of spiritual and moral ‘lag,’ which constitutes modern man’s chief dilemma, expresses itself in three larger problems which grow out of man’s ethical infantilism. Each of these problems, while appearing to be separate and isolated, is inextricably bound to the other. I refer to racial injustice, poverty, and war.

Dr. King outlined the need to find a solution to all three of these great human problems, and when he addressed the issue of poverty, he outlined the need for aid not only for international but for domestic poverty.

So it is obvious that if man is to redeem his spiritual and moral ‘lag,’ he must go all out to bridge the social and economic gulf between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ of the world. Poverty is one of the most urgent items on the agenda of modern life. There is nothing new about poverty. What is new, however, is that we have the resources to get rid of it.

You may read the lecture transcript at nobelprize.org or listen to an excerpt by clicking here.

Today, nearly 50 years later, the issues that Dr. King implored his audience to address are still urgent societal problems that need solutions. So today, in honor of Martin Luther King’s birthday, how will you answer his call? Will you address this BIG need for an end to injustice, violence and poverty? How and where will you embody God’s agape love — an unlimited loving kindness, charity, towards all people — which King described as “the love of God operating in the human heart?” At Opportunity International, we strive to embody this agape love in our work, bringing financial solutions to families, enabling them to work themselves out of poverty, to give their children a better future, and offering them the tools to live with dignity and find a voice–a “somebodiness,” as King termed it–in their community.

Let today, Martin Luther King Day, be the catalyst that prompts you to get involved with life-changing work that addresses economic and social injustice. Consider contributing to Opportunity’s fundraising efforts at opportunity.org/give or visit opportunity.org/be-tinvolved to take action. We hope that Dr. King’s legacy will inspire you today and all days.

1. An Insightful Journey

Family Week travelers with the Amigos del Progreso Trust Group in Cartagena, Colombia

At Opportunity, we know it’s important to visit our field staff, meet our clients, and connect with the people and communities we serve. We also feel that our donors should have the opportunity to see this work firsthand through our Insight Trips. A life-changing experience, this year we saw the number and diversity of our Insight Trips grow. In March, a group celebrated the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day in India, in June we hosted our Family Week trip to Colombia, and in July a group of YAO supporters visited Tanzania. We hope you were able to be a part of these great experiences and if not, we invite you to check out the opportunities this year to join us on a trip as we visit clients and staff in countries from Latin America to Africa to Asia.

2. From 18,000 Feet in the Air to the White House

In February, young professional Sarah jumped out of a plane for our clients in Tanzania.

• Jump for Opportunity showed how passionate and daring our YAO members are! On February 19, 2011, 29 adventurers, from YAO supporters to Opportunity staff, jumped out of a plane at 18,000 feet to raise support for our clients in Tanzania. The idea came from one YAO member, challenging others to risk jumping out of a plane in solidarity with our loan clients who take risks every day through their own business ventures. The event raised over $100,000 for our clients in Tanzania, and the unique approach also helped launch it to the final round of the Stay Classy Awards in their Most Creative Fundraiser category.
• A plane wasn’t the only place YAO celebrated young entrepreneurs’ work and support in sustainable development. YAO, along with Empact, spoke at the White House during the FEE (Future of Entrepreneurship Education) Summit in November. Empact presented their Empact 100, a list of the top 100 companies started by young entrepreneurs who encourage local investment in communities and social responsibility.

3. The 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day

The image of Opportunity Kenya client Judith Godiah, and her children, featured in the special supplement of USA Today

This year was the centennial celebration of International Women’s Day, observed on March 8. In addition to Opportunity’s International Women’s Day Insight Trip to India, we also chose this important date to launch our 2011 Banking on Women initiative. The two-month campaign honored women worldwide and built awareness for the impact financial services have on their lives and families. USA Today also featured a special supplement in honor of IWD entitled “Investing in Women & Girls,” which included Opportunity’s work empowering women–who make up 84% of our client base—with small business loans, tools and services.

4. The Opportunity Family is growing

Vice Governor of Central Bank of Congo at Opportunity DRC's ribbon-cutting

We are always excited to be able to continue our microfinance work in new areas. On May 19, we were thrilled to open our doors in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Local and national government officials, as well as Opportunity country and international staff, joined the event alongside our new clients. Words cannot completely describe the tenor of the day, so please feel free to watch the video of dancing and celebration as Opportunity takes its first official steps in the DRC bringing financial services to a new entrepreneurs and communities.

5. Top 40 is Not Just for Ryan Seacrest…

The "Side by Side" gala at the International Market Square in Minneapolis.

• Devex, a leader in international development resources, named Richard Leftley, President and CEO of MicroEnsure, one of London’s top 40 development leaders under 40. Furthermore, in June, MicroEnsure won the FT/IFC Sustainable Finance Award, organized by the Financial Times and the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group. The major award recognized MicroEnsure’s work in creating life insurance products in Ghana through mobile phone technology.
• Opportunity International also turned 40 this year! We celebrated this milestone at our conference in San Francisco in October, and at our gala events in Minneapolis in November, and Phoenix in December. The events captured the spirit of founder, Al Whittaker, to serve and equip those in poverty, highlighted the lives already touched by Opportunity over the years, and challenged all to continue that dream by raising funds and support for Opportunity.

This year we celebrated first steps, and anniversaries. We celebrated the role of women, and young professionals highlighted the work of our clients in unconventional ways. At Opportunity, we eagerly look forward to what 2012 will bring, and invite you to continue with us along the way.

Opportunity client Joyce Williamson sells produce in a market in Mwanga, Tanzania.

Entrepreneurs like produce seller Joyce Williamson (pictured) are using loans to improve their businesses and generate more income for their families.

More about Joyce

Joyce is the chairperson of the Upendo Mwanga Trust Group in Mwanga, and a mother of four who goes to two markets in nearby Moshi twice a week to purchase her produce stock and sell it locally. She knew that to meet her family’s needs she would need to expand, but without access to capital she found it impossible. Now, through a small loan, she’s been able to increase her inventory, making larger purchases at lower costs, increasing her profit margin. In the future she hopes to expand her business further by investing in a new structure and she says for the first time ever she’s confident that she can send all four of her children to school.

This year, Opportunity Malawi’s transformation officer helped Opportunity Tanzania conduct a survey of clients in its Arusha and Moshi branches to determine the needs of those we seek to serve.

What did we learn? Among the many important findings we learned that Opportunity Tanzania’s clients are among those who live below the poverty line, and are not always able to afford enough food for the family…

• 47% have 3 meals per day
• 32% have 2 meals per day
• 21% have 1 meal per day

The good news? Marginalized Tanzanian families state that Opportunity is making a difference for them. Since they started accessing microfinance loans through Opportunity Tanzania…

• 80% feel their lives have improved greatly
• 7% feel their lives have improved moderately
• 13% feel they are still struggling

Opportunity Tanzania  is committed to meeting its goals of expanding outreach to the most impoverished families in the country. It’s possible through the partnership of Opportunity International contributors like you.

This innovative life insurance product makes it possible for many more MicroEnsure clients to access insurance.

After the successful pilot, MicroEnsure scaled up the operation in Ghana, reaching more than 250,000 people within the first six months. As a result of this product, the agency will more than double the number of Ghanaians who have access to life insurance in 2011.

A similar product, Tigo Bima, has now been introduced to customers in Tanzania. Tigo Bima is a 30-day insurance product that protects subscribers in the event of loss of life due to accident or illness. The product is supported technically by Milvik and administratively by MicroEnsure to ensure that claims are paid within 72 hours after documentation is received.

This story first appeared in our winter 2012 Impact newsletter. Read this and more updates on our microfinance work, and our strategic partners, staff and clients in Impact by clicking here.