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Melinda Gates Highlights Opportunity International
Earlier this week, Opportunity International was honored to host Melinda Gates as she visited some of our clients and experienced our banking services in Malawi. With the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Opportunity is expanding access to savings accounts, loans, training and insurance to people struggling to work their way out of Read more…
Voices of the Poor – Parmila Das
The landmark Voices of the Poor study, published by the World Bank in 2000, sought the opinions and testimony of 60,000 of the world’s poor through information gathered in small discussion groups. Parmila Das was one participant profiled in the study. She lived in India and was a widow with two young children. She struggled Read more…
Indiana University Students Engage with Opportunity, Microfinance
The following is a guest post from Kristy Anderson, president of the Indiana University Trockman Microfinance Initiative-a student group of the Kelley School of Business. http://www.tminitiative.com/ After a five-hour carpool from Bloomington, Ind., and a night at the Holiday Inn, the 12 members of our group entered through the glass doors at Opportunity International’s Oak Read more…
Opportunity CEO Advocates Bottom-up Approach to Economic Development
In a speech on Thursday October 29th to the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations, Opportunity CEO Kadita “A.T.” Tshibaka cited many things he learned while working in emerging markets at Citibank and Lloyds TSB Group for over 35 years. One is that a bottom-up approach to economic development is generally the most effective. Kadita said, “We cannot Read more…
Tagged Agricultural finance, Agriculture, Banking on Education, Bottom-up approach, Citibank, Emerging Markets, Foreign Relations, Kadita "A.T." Tshibaka, Lloyds TBS Group, Macro-economic policies, Opportunity International, Savings, Top-down approach
More Than a Loan: Investing in Holistic Approaches to Microfinance
The following is a guest post from Betsy Perdue, Chair, Women’s Opportunity Network: Tomorrow, I will be participating in a panel with two other Opportunity International supporters at the Chicago Global Donor Network’s 6th annual conference, “Opportunity in Tough Times.” Our panel is titled “More than a Loan: Investing in Holistic Approaches to Microfinance.” Read more…
Tagged Chicago Global Donor Network’s 6th annual conference, Chicago Global Donors Network, Hotel Rwanda, Microfinance, Microloans, Paul Rusesabagina, Rwanda, Savings, Women's Philanthropy, Women’s Opportunity Network, WON
Saving Their Way Out of Poverty
In the Kejetia Market in Kumasi, Ghana, there are 10,000 vendors and market stalls covering an area of 36 acres. Dozens of Susu collectors roam the narrow walkways wearing brightly colored coats with many pockets, each with a wad of money inside. Susu collectors provide a way for people to save and access their own Read more…
Tagged Clients, Entrepreneurs, Ghana, Markets, Mobile Banking, Opportunity Ghana, Savings, Susu collectors
Equipping Countries to be Agriculturally Self-Sustainable
There is a green revolution occurring in the developing world led by passionate individuals with a heart for change. Within this revolution, Opportunity International is equipping nations to do something radical–to feed themselves. In honor of www.blogactionday.org, I would like to introduce Lucas Chingore. Lucas is a farmer in Mozambique. His desire was to farm Read more…
Tagged Africa, Agriculture, Agrifinance, Blog Action Day, Climate Change, Community, Enough, Farmer, Financial Access, Financial services, Food security, Food Sustainability, Ghana, Green Revolution, Kenya, Loans, Lucas Chingore, Malawi, Mozambique, Roger Thurow, Rwanda, Savings, Scott Kilman, South Africa, Sustainable development, Tanzania and Uganda
Live: Daryl Skoog and his Motorbike #BOG09
Opportunity is introducing electric bikes as transportation for loan officers who have to travel a long distance to see their clients each day. When the conference moderator announced the break-out sessions this morning, the doors swung wide open and Vice President of MIS Daryl Skoog revved his engine and rode in on a motorbike. It was a Read more…
Tagged #BOG09, ATMs, biometrics, Conference, container banks, Daryl Skoog, Loan Officer, Microfinance, MIS, mobile branches, Opportunity International, Rural banking, satellite communications, Savings, Technology, Transportation, Trust Groups
Initiating Change in Education: Opportunity’s CGI Commitment at 2:45 p.m. EST #cgi09
Ambitions soar, hope floats, and change hangs in the air each year at the Clinton Global Initiative. This year is no exception. Today (Wednesday), at 2:45 p.m. EST, Madeline Albright will spotlight Opportunity International as a key player in the advancement of opportunities for children in the developing world. By introducing tuition savings accounts, school Read more…
Tagged #CGI09, Children, Clinton Global Initiative, Community, Education, Ending Poverty, Kadita "A.T." Tshibaka, Madeline Albright, Opportunity International, Savings, School fee loans, School financing, Schools, Secretary of State, Tuition savings accounts
