Blog Archives

Opportunity Tanzania is Listening to Microfinance Clients and Growing

Opportunity Tanzania achieved strong growth during 2011. As of September 30th, Opportunity Tanzania was serving 5,705 microentrepreneurs with loans, reflecting an 84% growth in just nine months, having begun 2011 with 3,093 clients. Entrepreneurs like produce seller Joyce Williamson (pictured) are using loans to improve their businesses and generate more income for their families. More Read more…

Posted in Loans, Local Staffing, Our Work, Where We Work
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Tunes for Tanzania–who knew a Tuesday could be this good?

While everyone seemed moved by the goal of building a bank in Tanzania, as I gauged from the robust rounds of applause, Tuesday’s Tunes for Tanzania event was also just a good time for all. We packed into Schubas in Chicago to listen to the music of three different bands; we strategized to win tantalizing Read more…

Posted in Events, Where We Work, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
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A Look Back at YAO’s Summer Fun 2011

Summer 2011 was a busy season for YAO chapters across the country. From a soccer tournament in San Francisco, to the Chicago Half Marathon, to networking at Chapter Happy Hours, Young Ambassadors organized fun summer events that got them inspired and energized to put their passion to end poverty into action. Here are highlights from Read more…

Posted in Events, Microfinance Conference, Where We Work, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
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Top 5 Creative Fundraisers by International Nonprofits

Last February, 29 super-dedicated young professionals and entrepreneurs went to Orlando, Florida to jump out of a plane, skydiving to raise funds and awareness for Opportunity Tanzania‘s microfinance initiatives. Inspired by our supporters’ fundraiser at 18,000 feet, we entered Jump for Opportunity as the “Most Creative Fundraiser by a Charity” in this year’s Classy Awards. Read more…

Posted in Events, Resources, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
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Meet Thomas, a Loan Officer in Moshi, Tanzania

Meet Thomas. Thomas is a loan officer in the Moshi branch of Opportunity Tanzania. When I asked him about himself he said he likes hip hop music, traveling, and helping out clients. His Trust Group adores him, as they should, he is a wonderful man who helps out whenever possible. We talked about some of Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips, Local Staffing, Trust Groups, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
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Tanzania Reporter: Our Day at Arusha’s Faraja Center for Young Women

Reporting back from the recent YAO Insight Trip to Tanzania, Tanzania Correspondent Contest winner Kelly Flanagan shares photos from the community service day she and her fellow travelers spent at the Faraja Young Women Development Unit in Arusha. The Faraja Center is a residential facility that helps rehabilitate young female victims of human trafficking, offering them vocational Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips, Where We Work, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
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Photo Blog: We’re Banking on Africa

This summer, Opportunity has launched the Banking on Africa Campaign. The campaign aims to bring millions of Sub-Saharan Africans closer to the day when they can safely deposit their savings, access loans to grow businesses, and purchase affordable insurance to protect their families—right in their own communities. Check out a photo tour below of some Read more…

Posted in Bank Building, Events, Our Leadership, Resources, Where We Work
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Tanzania Reporter Meets Emilia P. Mtei of the Chapakazi Trust Group

She is part of the Trust Group called Chapakazi (translation: Hard-Working) based in Moshi, Tanzania. Her passion is working at her small grocery store where she sells fish, avocados and various other vegetables. Emilia looks over at her loan officer Levina and laughs aloud as we YAO members ask her questions about her loan success Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips, Loans, Trust Groups, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
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YAO-ZA! Young Ambassadors Launches its Denver Chapter

The following post was written by YAO member and YAO-ZA! co-organizer Amy Steinhoff. Greetings from the Denver chapter of Young Ambassadors for Opportunity (YAO). We are thrilled to officially become part of the YAO network after YAO-ZA!, our successful chapter launch on Saturday, May 21st. Thanks to a dedicated team and the generous support of Read more…

Posted in Events, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
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We Have a Winner in the Tanzania Correspondent Contest

The results are in! All the votes have been counted and we now have a first, second, and third place winner in our Tanzania Correspondent Contest. First prize First prize winner Kelly Flanagan from Tempe, Ariz. has won a spot on the Opportunity International Insight Trip to Tanzania this summer to be our multimedia reporter on Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips
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