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Meet Our Staff: Why Do I Believe in Opportunity?
In May of 2010, I attended a luncheon hosted by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs where Melanne Verveer, the first-ever U.S. ambassador-at-large for Global Women’s Issues, spoke to the significance of investing in women as a means to drive economic growth in the developing world. Equally as captivating as Ambassador Verveer’s remarks was being Read more…
Tagged Ally Lynch, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Global Poverty, Meet Our Staff, Melanne Verveer, MFI, Microfinance, Opportunity International, Opportunity-US, Poverty, Women, Women's Philanthropy
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…
Tagged Africa, ATMs, biometric fingerprint technology, biometric technology, Cell phone banking, Clients, Credit Suisse, Electronic wallet strategy, Financial literacy programs, financial literacy training, Loan Officer, Loans, Malawi, MFI, Microfinance, Mobile Banking, mobile banking vehicle, mobile phone banking, Opportunity International, Opportunity Malawi, Poverty, regional manager, Rural Outreach, Savings, Technology, Training, Trust Groups, Women
Top 5 Highlights from Opportunity’s 2011 in Review
As we take the first steps into 2012, it’s good to see where Opportunity International ventured on the road of 2011. We ran all over the globe and hiked into new territory both literally and figuratively. We celebrated milestones, and went to new heights, for the sake of our clients and the sustainable work of Read more…
Tagged 40th anniversary, 40th anniversary year-end campaign 2011, Africa, Banking on Women, Clients, Devex, Empact, Empact 100, Ending Poverty, Events, Financial services, Future of Entrepreneurship Summit, India, Insight Trip, International Women's Day, Jump for Opportunity, Microensure, Microinsurance, Opportunity International, Poverty, Richard Leftley, Side by Side, sustainable finance award, USA Today, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON, YAO, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
On behalf of Opportunity International‘s global family, we wish you all the joy, peace, love and blessings of Christmas. More than ever, we’re grateful for your ongoing support of our work, which helps empower our clients and provides life-changing opportunity to their families. Below, please watch a special Christmas message featuring our clients from Malawi, Read more…
Tagged Advent, Christmas, Clients, Colombia, Community, Ending Poverty, Family, India, Malawi, Mexico, Opportunity International, peace, videos, Women
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…
Tagged 2011 YAO Insight Trip, 40th anniversary, Africa, Arizona, Banking on Women, Board of Directors, Board of Governors, Cindy Schwab-Salem, David Simms, fundraisers, Global Microfinance Operations, Jon Yasuda, Kadita “A.T.” Tshibaka, Kelly Flanagan, MFI, Microfinance, mobile banks, Opportunity International, Scottsdale, Tanzania, Tanzania Correspondent Contest, Trust Groups, Women, YAO, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
Carlos Moreno-The Success of Opportunity’s First Microfinance Client
Carlos Moreno was a small business owner selling spices in Santiago de Cali, Colombia, but he knew he needed additional funding in order to grow his business. In 1971, Carlos became Opportunity International’s very first loan client. Today, Carlos says, “My loan helped me expand my business so I could sell 52 different spices, teas and medicinal herbs.” With the Read more…
Meet Ugandan Staff Member Frida Mungoma, Education Finance Manager
This past Monday, just after arriving in the United States, Opportunity Uganda‘s Education Finance Manager Wakhasa Frida Mungoma–known as Frida–sat down with me at the Opportunity-US offices in Oak Brook, Ill. for a discussion of her work, the challenges she faces and the most rewarding aspects of her job. Below, see brief excerpts of my Read more…
Tagged Africa, Education, Education finance, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Frida Mungoma, international staff, Loans, MFI, Microfinance, Opportunity International, Opportunity Uganda, Poverty, School Proprietor Loans, school proprietors, Students, Uganda, Women, YAO, YAO - San Francisco, YAO-New York, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
Breakout Session: Why Women? Why Now?
The impact of focusing on women is thus multi-fold: not only will empowering women [with financial services] uplift the lives of women, but it also produces a wider impact on multiple generations and the communities in which they live. -2011 Study by Women’s World Banking In families where have an income, they have a voice Read more…
Tagged Africa, Deborah Farrington, Diane Griffin, DR Congo, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Microfinance, Nadine Pembele, OIC2011, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Microfinance Conference, Ruth-Anne Renaud, StarVest Partners, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, Women's World Banking, WON
Conference LiveBlog: Reeta Roy Accepts the 2011 International Women’s Leadership Award on Behalf of The MasterCard Foundation
Today, Betsy Perdue, co-chair of the Women’s Opportunity Network (WON), presented Reeta Roy, President and CEO of The MasterCard Foundation, with WON’s 2011 International Women’s Leadership Award. Roy accepted the award on behalf of the Foundation, honored for its role in supporting and inspiring global women entrepreneurs. By increasing access to microfinance and youth education in developing Read more…
Tagged Africa, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Global Poverty, International Women’s Leadership Award, MFI, Microfinance, OIC2011, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Microfinance Conference, Poverty, Reeta Roy, Technology, The MasterCard Foundation, United Nations, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON
Congratulations to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, One of the Winners of 2011 Nobel Peace Prize
Congratulations to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, winner of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize along with Liberian peace activist Leymah Gboweeh and Yemeni pro-democracy human rights campaigner Tawakkol Karman. They were the first women to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize since Professor Wangari Maathai, who passed away a couple weeks ago, won in Read more…
Tagged Africa, democracy, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Human Rights, International Women’s Leadership Award, Laureate Wangari Maathai, Microfinance, Nobel Peace Prize, Opportunity International, peace, Poverty, The New York Times, Voice of America, Women, Women Leaders, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON
