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UN Secretary-General Visits Opportunity Malawi Mobile Bank

By Opportunity International on June 2, 2010

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited Opportunity Malawi’s mobile bank in the UN Millennium Village of Mwandama on Sunday, May 30. “The secretary-general took time to talk with one of our customers who had just made a deposit. She had her smart card [bank card using biometric technology] in her hand and explained how she uses Read more…

Posted in Bank Building, Loans, Our Mission and Vision, Our Work, Technology, Where We Work
Tagged Africa, Ban Ki-moon, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Cell Phones, Financial services, Kiosk, Loans, Malawi, MFI, Microfinance, Millennium Village, Mobile Banking, Mwandama, Opportunity International, Opportunity Malawi, Poverty, Satellite bank branch, Savings, Smart cards, Technology, Training, United Nations, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON

The Impact of a Ugandan Trust Group: An artisan, a Polaroid and a boda boda motorcycle

By Opportunity International on May 28, 2010

by Alexandra Arch, Writer and Uganda Insight Trip Participant Today combined some of the best of the best. The 12 members of the Mutungo Stars Trust Group graciously welcomed us to their weekly group meeting this morning. They were eager to share the work of their businesses, which include all types of retail, as well as hair salons, mechanics shops Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips, Trust Groups
Tagged Africa, Alexandra Arch, boda boda, Business, Children, Client Stories, Education, Insight Trip, Loans, Microfinance, Naguru, Opportunity International, Orphans, Polaroid, Poverty, Schools, Students, Trust Groups, Uganda, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON

Opportunity Malawi’s Nkhata Bay bank kiosk is now open…

By Opportunity International on May 27, 2010

Opportunity Malawi’s Nkhata Bay bank kiosk officially opened to the public on April 14th, 2010. The kiosk, which will expand to a satellite branch, is located in Malawi’s northern region. According to Dickson, the kiosk’s customer service agent, “Things look promising – within barely an hour of opening the doors I started savings accounts for 10 Read more…

Posted in Bank Building, Loans, Local Staffing, Our Work, Savings, Where We Work
Tagged Africa, Bank, Bank Building, Client Stories, Kiosk, Loans, Malawi, Microfinance, Mobile Banking, Ndirande Township, Nkhata Bay, Opportunity International, Opportunity Malawi, Savings, Savings account, Technology, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON

Serving the People of Malawi with a New Satellite Bank Branch

By Opportunity International on May 18, 2010

Community members in Ndirande, Malawi admire the new satellite bank branch. Exciting news from Malawi… Opportunity Malawi has now opened a satellite bank branch in Ndirande Township, an informal settlement located three miles south of Blantyre and six miles from Limbe, and the largest community in the Blantyre area. The roads in the densely populated township Read more…

Posted in Bank Building, Our Work, Savings, Technology, Training, Where We Work
Tagged Africa, ATMs, Cell phone banking, Credit Suisse, Family, Loans, Malawi, Marketplace, Microfinance, Mobile Banking, Ndirande, Opportunity International, OptINnow, Poverty, Satellite bank branch, Savings, Technology, Training, Women's Opportunity Network, WON

Will Microfinance Institutions Ever Be an Asset Class on Wall Street?

By Opportunity International on May 14, 2010

Last Friday at the Chicago Microfinance Conference, a group of investors explored the issue of microfinance investments and capital markets in a session entitled “Microfinance and Wall Street: Will MFIs ever be an Asset Class?” The conversation revolved around two primary questions: has the perception of institutional investors changed with the financial crisis, and would MFIs Read more…

Posted in Events, Our Work
Tagged Accion, Creation Investments Social Ventures Fund, Education, Eric Meyer, IFMR Capital, LLC, Loans, Managment, MFI, Microfinance, Microfinance industry, Microfinance Information Exchange, Microplace, Opportunity International, OptINnow, Poverty, Savings, Students, Wall Street, Women's Opportunity Network, YAO, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity, Youth

The Work of Trust Groups in Uganda

By Opportunity International on May 14, 2010

by Alexandra Arch, Writer and Uganda Insight Trip Participant The focus of today centered on a truly exciting concept that I was looking forward to seeing in action: Opportunity International Trust Groups — the lending of money to business people in groups. Our bus pulls up to a bustling market mid-morning where the action, like the Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips, Loans, Local Staffing, Our Mission and Vision, Our Work, Training, Trust Groups
Tagged Africa, Alexandra Arch, Children, Client Stories, Education, Insight Trip, Loan Officer, Loans, MFI, Microfinance, Opportunity International, OptINnow, Poverty, Savings, Students, Trust Groups, Uganda, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON, YAO, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity, Youth

Does Microfinance Break the Cycle of Poverty?

By Rob Moll on May 13, 2010

The story of microfinance has always been compelling in its simplicity: A poor entrepreneur receives a loan. The loan enables her to purchase equipment or goods. She is then able to sell or increase sales of homemade clothes or fresh fruit. The new or increased sales bring in more income which she uses to pay Read more…

Posted in Events
Tagged Calvert Foundation, Chicago Microfinance Conference, FINCA, Loans, Mennonite Economic Development Associates, Microfinance, Mobile Banking, Opportunity International, OptINnow, Poverty, Savings, ShoreCap Exchange, Students, University of Chicago, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON

Ambassador Melanne Verveer Discusses the Global Roles of Women

By Emily Riemer on May 13, 2010

Welcome to the 21st-century reality: empowering women in the developing world alleviates poverty and grows economies. Gender equality equals smart economic progress. On Tuesday, May 4, Ambassador Melanne Verveer addressed the Chicago Council on Global Affairs about the importance of women’s roles in global economic growth. In the discussion entitled “Investing in Women, Enriching the World,” Read more…

Posted in Loans, Our Mission and Vision, Our Work, Savings, Training, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged Ambassador, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Empowerment, Ending Poverty, Food security, Gender, Gender equality, Global Women's Issues, Half the Sky, Hillary Clinton, HIV/AIDS, International development, Melanne Verveer, Microfinance, Nutrition, Opportunity International, Poverty, President Obama, Ruth-Anne, State Department, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON

Some settling may have occurred. Please shake well…

By Opportunity International on May 12, 2010

by Alexandra Arch, Writer and Uganda Insight Trip Participant I suspect that few things can shake the senses — the soul really — like traveling. More specifically, traveling to Africa. A first-timer to Africa, I have landed in Kampala, Uganda. Drawing on my experiences in other exotic venues, I am no stranger to the daily Read more…

Posted in Insight Trips, Loans, Our Mission and Vision, Our Work, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged Africa, Children, Client Stories, Education, Global Opportunity Quilt, Half the Sky, Insight Trip, Kampala, Loans, Microfinance, Opportunity International, OptINnow, Poverty, Sandy Arch, Schools, Students, Uganda, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, WON, Youth

Happy Mother’s Day from Opportunity International!

By Opportunity International on May 9, 2010

Please be sure to visit our Global Opportunity Quilt at OptINnow.org/Mothers to see the beautiful patches purchased and read the inspiring messages supporters have dedicated to the important women in their lives. We at Opportunity have enjoyed sharing our own reflections on this important day. Below is a list of our blog entries in honor Read more…

Posted in Events, OptINnow, Women's Opportunity Network
Tagged Children, Global Opportunity Quilt, Half the Sky, Holiday, Microfinance, Mother's Day, Mothers, Opportunity International, OptINnow, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON

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