Blog Archives

What We’re Reading: Last Week’s Insight Trip to Colombia & Nicaragua

Opportunity International staff and contributors just returned this week from the first Insight Trip of 2012. Their travel adventure took them to Colombia and Nicaragua where they experienced microfinance firsthand and met our staff and clients. Four of our travelers published their personal accounts and reflections on a travel blog at adventuringincolombianicaragua.tumblr.com and we’ve loved reading each Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips, Trust Groups, Where We Work
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Check It Out! Credit Suisse Reports on the Impact of Microfinance & Technology in Malawi

We’re pleased to announce that Opportunity International is featured in this month’s Credit Suisse Bulletin. The four-page article, which was the result of Credit Suisse’s visit to Opportunity Malawi last year, is located on pages 42-45. Click here to see a complete copy of the Bulletin or read the story online. In addition, Credit Suisse has Read more…

Posted in Loans, Local Staffing, Our Work, Rural Outreach, Savings, Strategic Partners, Technology, Training, What We're Reading, Where We Work
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Celebrating 40 Years of Microfinance with the “Holiday Fête” in Scottsdale, Arizona

On Tuesday evening, Dec. 6, 2011, the members of Opportunity International’s Arizona Board of Governors hosted the “Holiday Fête: Commemorating 40 Years of Client Impact and Transformation,” a 40th-anniversary celebration at the Gainey Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale. “ is proud to celebrate our 40th year of working alongside our clients, staff and supporters to fight global poverty,” Read more…

Posted in Board of Governors, Events, Insight Trips, Our Work, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
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Faith in Action: Opportunity Supporter Walks 500 Miles of Christian Pilgrimage El Camino de Santiago

With just 50 miles to go, Opportunity International supporter Ann Loar Brooks is about to complete a 500-mile walk for Ugandan women. Ann began her journey on August 27th, hiking the last 500 miles of the Christian pilgrimage El Camino de Santiago, which starts from southern France and winds through the Pyrenees across northern Spain. Her mission: to raise awareness Read more…

Posted in Board of Governors, Events, Faith in Action, Our Work, Where We Work, Women's Opportunity Network
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Photo Journey of Meeting Microfinance Clients in Rwanda and Uganda

Uganda- A young girl (right) welcomes an Opportunity International visitor from the floor of her father’s shop in a Kampala market. Her young father is an enterprising entrepreneur and Trust Group member who runs a small boutique that sells both new and old clothes, mattresses, and small luggage. Business is good, he reports, and he Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips, Loans, Local Staffing, Rural Outreach, Training, Trust Groups, Where We Work
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Opportunity Staff Interview on BBC Radio 2

Listen today! BBC Radio 2‘s Jeremy Vine interviews Nick Lea, development economist and an Opportunity trustee, and Lydia Baffour Awuah, head of Africa programs at Opportunity UK. Recording of interview is only available until 2:02 p.m. GMT+1 on Tuesday, Aug. 30th (9:02 a.m. EST in the United States). Listen to the 10-minute interview by clicking here. ** (The interview Read more…

Posted in Loans, Our Leadership, Our Work, Resources, Savings, Trust Groups, Where We Work
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My First Trust Group Experience, a Traveler’s Report from Uganda

We rose early today and split into two groups with ours visiting a Trust Group in Kampala, which is the bustling capital of Uganda. We meandered down the shopping district, winding our way through an orderly confusion of shops, street vendors and a sea of humanity. It was hot and dry and the red dust Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips, Loans, Our Work, Resources, Trust Groups
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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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Empowerment through Microfinance–Meeting Rwandan Microfinance Client Dorosera Mukagahima

Dorosera Mukagahima made our long two-hour bus ride worth the trek to her remote village. She’s the elected treasurer in her Trust Group of about 30, mostly women. In her business she buys and sells goats—about three at a time. She proudly told us of her sturdy mud brick home with a metal roof, situated Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips, Loans, Our Work, Trust Groups
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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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