Assessing the Impact of Our Microfinance Services
Over the last decade, Opportunity has conducted more than 50,000 face-to-face surveys with clients in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. The research showed that our clients want savings as much as they want small business loans, and their input has aided us in the development of a wide array of financial tools—including agricultural finance and rural savings, crop and health insurance, and school fee loans and savings accounts—to help them work their way out of poverty.
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Banking on Africa
Opportunity International has a bold vision to bring life changing financial services to five million impoverished people in sub-Saharan Africa over the next five years. Download PDF
Board of Governors
Opportunity International’s Board of Governors is a community of people who want to change the world by providing the microfinance services people need to work their way out of poverty. Download PDF
The Case for Support: Bringing Opportunity to Women
Women represent an estimated 70% of those living on less than $2 a day. They suffer most from the chronic effects of poor nutrition, insufficient access to healthcare and limited educational opportunities. And they comprise the majority of victims of forced labor, gender violence, and legal and cultural inequities. Download PDF
Endorsements
“Caterpillar Foundation is proud to support Opportunity International’s efforts to build sustainability through entrepreneurship in developing countries.”--Will Ball, Vice President, Caterpillar Foundation
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Gift Planning
Opportunity International provides supporters with complimentary and confidential planning expertise to benefit their families and to make a difference in the world. Download PDF
Highlights
For 40 years, Opportunity International has provided the financial services that all people need to create a better future for their families and their communities. In 2011, four million individuals were empowered by 6.2 million Opportunity loans, savings accounts and insurance policies. Download PDF
Technology
Technology is a critical tool in Opportunity International’s delivery of loans, savings and insurance products to those who have little or no access. Opportunity uses technology to reduce transaction costs and break down barriers such as geographic isolation, illiteracy and prohibitive transportation expenses. Download PDF
Trust Groups
Members meet weekly to receive training in business practices, interpersonal relationships and healthcare issues. They benefit from deep connections with their group and loan officers as they experience previously unimaginable growth in their lives. Download PDF
Women's Opportunity Network
The Women’s Opportunity Network (WON) is a dynamic network of women supporters and staff committed to helping Opportunity International reduce poverty in the developing world. WON invests in the lives of women around the world who use Opportunity’s microfinance services to transform their lives, their children’s lives and their communities. Download PDF
Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
Young Ambassadors for Opportunity (YAO) is a network of passionate, globally-minded young professionals who are dedicated to providing economic opportunities for people living in chronic poverty. YAO inspires, educates, and involves younger generations in the power of microfinance and the mission of Opportunity International. Download PDF
Building Access to Savings
There is a large unmet demand for savings among the poor. Fewer than 10 percent of those living on less than $2 a day have access to safe and secure deposit accounts. That’s why Opportunity International operates regulated banks that provide secure, interest-bearing savings accounts to impoverished people. Download PDF
Insuring Against Life’s Risks
What our clients need is a better way to protect themselves when tough times arrive. That’s why Opportunity banks and financial institutions partner with our wholly-owned microinsurance subsidiary, MicroEnsure, or with local insurance providers, to provide products that reduce our clients’ vulnerability. Download PDF
Client Protection Principles
Opportunity understands that not every impoverished person needs a loan. Our broad-based approach includes providing access to short- and long-term savings, insurance, training, and business-specific financing in agriculture, commerce and small manufacturing. Download PDF
Agricultural Finance
Africa is still not producing sufficient food to provide a balanced diet to the population, despite its natural resources of land and water. The majority of smallholder farmers across the continent have adopted, by default, a low input/low output farming system. Only farmers who can provide collateral to a financial institution are able to access the finance needed to purchase improved seeds, fertilizers and chemicals to optimize their productivity. Lack of collateral excludes the majority of farmers from financial services. Download PDF
2012 Vision Portfolio
Women make up the majority of those living in poverty. They face many legal and cultural inequities and are often excluded from the formal economy. These barriers put women at a disadvantage and make them more vulnerable to gender inequality or even forced labor or violence. Despite these realities, women have consistently demonstrated inspiring resilience and determination to break free from a life of poverty. Numerous studies, and our own experience, show that financial services extended to women have a significant impact on the quality of life for their families, especially their children. View | Download PDF
