Blog Archives

#MifiMon: Women and Microfinance

By Guest Post on December 2, 2009

The following is a guest post by Sheethal Shobowale, Kiva Fellow at MFIs Asociación Arariwa in Cusco, Peru and Emprender in La Paz, Bolivia starting in January. Interested in learning about microfinance? Follow our biweekly Twitter discussion group #mifimon (because Microfinance Mondays was too long for Twitter’s 140-character limit). Our aim is to host an Read more…

Posted in Loans, Our Mission and Vision, Our Work, Training, Trust Groups, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged #MifiMon, Accion, Clients, Community, Community development, Education, Entrepreneurs, Equal opportunity, Gender equality, Group lending, Healthcare, Kiva, Lending Laws, Loan Officers, Loans, MFI, Microfinance, Savings, Seven Bar Foundation, Social Performance Indicators Blog, The Next 4 Billion, Training, Trust Groups, Twitter, WAM, Women, Women Advancing Microfinance, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON

World AIDS Day: Lending Hope to Africa

By Sonja Egeland Kelly on December 1, 2009

AIDS continues to devastate sub-Saharan Africa. Thirty million people have died already, leaving 14 million orphans behind. Without decisive action, millions more will die, at the rate of over 6,600 a day. This figure is likely to increase because of the 9,500 new daily infections in Africa alone. Today marks World AIDS Day. The day Read more…

Posted in Loans, Our Mission and Vision, Training, Trust Groups, Where We Work
Tagged Africa, AIDS, Crisis, Dorothy Kanjautso, Education, HIV/AIDS, Loans, Opportunity International, Orphans, Poverty, Training, Trust Groups, Women, World Aids Day

Shalom… the way things ought to be.

By David M. Knibbe on November 28, 2009

While in Ghana a week ago, I visited the Peace International School. In this particular location just outside of Sunyani, Opportunity International and IDP Foundation Rising Schools are partnering to provide financial services and training to the private school’s proprietor so she can offer a quality education to more children living in poverty. Our clients Read more…

Posted in Faith in Action, Our Mission and Vision, Our Motivation, Our Work, Training
Tagged Banking on Education, Children, Clients, Education, Financial services, Ghana, IDP Foundation, Peace International School, Poverty, Training

Voices of the Poor – Parmila Das

By Steve Nelson on November 23, 2009

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…

Posted in Our Mission and Vision, What We're Reading
Tagged Financial services, India, Insurance, Loans, Parmila Das, Portfolios of the Poor, Poverty, Savings, The landmark Voices of the Poor study, Training, Voices of the Poor, World Bank

Opportunity India Redefines "Astitva"

By Sonja Egeland Kelly on October 6, 2009

“Astitva” is the identity of an Indian woman. While by tradition Indian women are supposed to be respected, common practice dictates that an Indian woman’s contributions usually go unnoticed. Her struggles are unacknowledged, and her dreams are not heard. Opportunity India is working to redefine “Astitva.” Through affordable loans for capital, buttressed by business and Read more…

Posted in Loans, Our Mission and Vision, Our Work, Training, Where We Work, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged Astitva, Education, Henrietta Isaac, India, Loans, Opportunity India, Training, Women

#Mifimon: Microfinance in Your Backyard

By Amy Carol Wolff on October 5, 2009

Twitter folks present (in alphabetical order): @AJRenold, @amycarolwolff, @Grameen_DC, @ianscotthaisley, @lethalsheethal, @lend4health, @optinnow, @rarenaud, @robgarciasj, @savetogether This week’s call to action: Find an article on U.S. microfinance and post it as a response to this blog and on our #Mifimon facebook page. Have a conversation with a friend or colleague about U.S. microfinance and tell Read more…

Posted in Loans, Microinsurance, Our Work, Technology, Training
Tagged #MifiMon, Accion, Activists, Banking, Education, Financial services, Grameen America, Lend 4 Health, Microfinance, OptINnow, Poverty, Training, Twitter, Women's Philanthropy

Women Advancing Microfinance in Chicago

By Eliza Griffith on September 21, 2009

At Opportunity International’s US office, we draw our motivation and sense of purpose from the stories of our clients and their families as they build a bridge out of poverty. This week, I am further inspired by a different group of people – the members of Women Advancing Microfinance (WAM) Chicago. On September 17th this Read more…

Posted in Our Mission and Vision
Tagged Accion, Chicago, Development, Education, Ending Poverty, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Microenterprise Development, Microfinance, SEEP Network, ShoreBank, Traditional banking sector, Training, WAM International, Women, Women Advancing Microfinance, Women's Philanthropy, WON

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