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Opportunity International joins forces with Carly Fiorina’s One Woman Initiative

By Opportunity International on February 15, 2013

Opportunity International today announced a dynamic partnership with Carly Fiorina and the One Woman Initiative to empower an additional two million women living in poverty through financial resources, education and training to build sustainable futures. As a Global Ambassador to Opportunity International, Fiorina will lend her voice and influence to Opportunity’s efforts to build a Read more…

Posted in In the News, Meet Our Staff, Our Leadership, Our Method, Our Mission and Vision, Our Motivation, Our Work, Strategic Partners, What We're Reading, What We're Watching, Women
Tagged Carly Fiorina, Education, Financial resources, Global Ambassador, One Woman Initiative, Partnerships, Training, Vicki Escarra, Women

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

Opportunity Ghana Client Edward Opuku Shares the Path to Success

By Opportunity International on December 18, 2012

Edward Opuku put his years of training and education to work to build successful businesses repairing and renting stereo systems, despite the warnings of his friends and neighbors. Believing in himself, and building upon Opportunity International’s resources and training, Edward now has three shops, a warehouse and a team of 10 employees. Edward comes from Read more…

Posted in Client Stories, Education, Loans, Where We Work
Tagged accra, Africa, apprenticeship, Client Stories, Clients, Education, Family, Ghana, individual loan client, Loans, Opportunity International, Poverty, small business loans, Training, Transformation, Trust Group

One Woman Transforms her Community in Colombia

By Opportunity International on December 13, 2012

Opportunity Colombia client Beduith María Henao Beltrán is a testament to the power of one woman to make a difference in the lives of many. In winter, Beduith’s street in the city of Barranquilla was clogged with mud and impassable, making life dangerous, unpleasant and inconvenient. This can also make it difficult for residents to Read more…

Posted in Client Stories, Loan officer, Loans, Training, Trust Groups, Uncategorized, Women
Tagged Beduith Maria Henao Beltran, Colombia, Community, community organizer, Financial services, Loans, Microfinance, One Woman Holiday Challenge, Opportunity Colombia, Opportunity International, south america, Training, Trust Groups, Women

Opportunity International Honors World AIDS Day

By Brad Skeba on December 1, 2012

December 1, 2012 is World AIDS Day. Today, we at Opportunity International stand with millions around the world, including our clients, in the fight against HIV/AIDS. As an organization that offers AIDS education in some of the world’s hardest hit communities, we look forward to the day when families, friends and clients are freed from Read more…

Posted in Events, Health, Our Work, Training, Trust Groups, Where We Work
Tagged Africa, AIDS, Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, Brad Skeba, Clients, Community, Democratic Republic of Congo, DR Congo, Education, Ending Poverty, Global Poverty, Health, HIV/AIDS, HIV/AIDS prevention, Microfinance, Opportunity DRC, Opportunity International, Poverty, sub-Saharan Africa, Training, Trust Groups, Uganda, Unicef, World Aids Day, World Health Organization

On Thanksgiving and Every Day, We’re Grateful for Clients like Eugenie

By Opportunity International on November 22, 2012

As you gather around the Thanksgiving table, enjoying your time with family and friends, we know you’re grateful for all your blessings. At Opportunity International, we’re grateful for the opportunity to be part of work that empowers clients like Eugenie Nyirabagenzi to feed their families and secure a more hopeful future for themselves and their communities. Eugenie Read more…

Posted in Agricultural Finance, Client Stories, Events, Loan officer, Loans, Microinsurance, Our Work, Rural Outreach, Savings, Training, Where We Work, Women
Tagged Africa, Agricultural finance, Agriculture, Client Stories, Clients, Ending Poverty, Eugenie Nyirabagenzi, Farmer, financial literacy training, Financial services, Jean de Dieu Kampayana, Loan Officer, Loans, MFI, Microfinance, Opportunity International, Opportunity Rwanda, Poverty, rice, Rwamagana, Rwanda, Savings, Thanksgiving, Training, Weather-index crop insurance, Women, women clients

One Woman Holiday Challenge Launches Today for Opportunity’s Women Clients

By Vicki Escarra on November 16, 2012

This holiday season, with your help, Opportunity International has the potential to fund 6,000 new loans for women around the world. For our new campaign, the One Woman Holiday Challenge, we have an ambitious goal of raising $450,000 in 45 days. And thanks to a generous donor, all gifts to the campaign will be matched Read more…

Posted in Bank Building, Biometrics, Client Stories, Fundraisers, Loans, Our Leadership, Savings, Technology, Women
Tagged Africa, Annie Nyangomba, biometric fingerprint technology, biometrics, Clients, Democratic Republic of Congo, donors, DR Congo, Ending Poverty, Financial services, fundraisers, Kinshasa, Loan Officer, Loans, match, Microfinance, One Woman Holiday Challenge, Online fundraising, Opportunity International, Poverty, Savings, Training, Vicki Escarra, Women

CEO Vicki Escarra Checks in from 2012 Peter Drucker Forum in Vienna

By Vicki Escarra on November 16, 2012

This is an inspiring week as I attended the fourth annual Global Peter Drucker Forum in Vienna, Austria, where several hundred leaders from the corporate, academic and NGO settings gathered to explore the future of management and its impact on the future of global society. Peter F. Drucker was a management consultant, educator, author and Read more…

Posted in Agricultural Finance, Education, Events, Loans, Microfinance, Microinsurance, Our Leadership, Our Mission and Vision, Our Work, Savings, Strategic Partners, Technology, Training
Tagged Agricultural finance, Agriculture, Austria, Capitalism, Clients, Education, Events, Financial services, Insurance, Loans, Microfinance, Nonprofit, Opportunity International, Peter Drucker Forum, Peter F. Drucker, Poverty, Savings, Technology, Training, Vicki Escarra, Vienna

We Invest in Leaders with Staff Transformation and Capacity Building in the Democratic Republic of Congo

By Diane Ferguson on November 13, 2012

In Democratic Republic of Congo, a highly skilled mentor becomes the catalyst for a lifetime of stability for women and their families. That’s what happens when Opportunity International’s capacity building programs equip staff with the knowledge and skill to guide families through their journey out of poverty. This program puts special emphasis on developing women, Read more…

Posted in Bank Building, Local Staffing, Our Leadership, Training, Women
Tagged Africa, Community, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, DR Congo, Emerging Leaders, Financial services, Gilbert Lagaillarde, invest in women, Kinshasa, local staffing, Microfinance, Opportunity International, Training, Women

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