Opportunity International https://opportunity.org/ en-us When Women are Empowered, Everyone Benefits https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2024/march/when-women-are-empowered-everyone-benefits Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:56:00 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2024/march/when-women-are-empowered-everyone-benefits Hallie Kobylski “It is for the children that we make these improvements” – School Leader reflections on USAID CATALYZE EduFinance impact https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2024/march/reflections-usaid-catalyze Tue, 05 Mar 2024 02:00:00 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2024/march/reflections-usaid-catalyze Allison Kooser Governor Spotlight: Lauren Beard https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2024/february/governor-spotlight-lauren-beard Wed, 14 Feb 2024 00:15:00 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2024/february/governor-spotlight-lauren-beard Hallie Kobylski Staff Spotlight: Simona Haiduc https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2024/february/staff-spotlight-simona-haiduc Tue, 13 Feb 2024 15:23:00 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2024/february/staff-spotlight-simona-haiduc Hallie Kobylski Colombian Extreme Poverty on the Rise, but We Have the Tools to End It https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2024/february/colombian-extreme-poverty-on-the-rise-but-we-have-the-tools-to-end-it Wed, 07 Feb 2024 19:18:00 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2024/february/colombian-extreme-poverty-on-the-rise-but-we-have-the-tools-to-end-it Hallie Kobylski $5.5+ million to change lives https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2024/february/millions-to-change-lives Fri, 02 Feb 2024 15:45:11 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2024/february/millions-to-change-lives Hallie Kobylski Atul’s Year-In-Review 2023 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2024/january/atuls-year-in-review-2023

As we look excitedly to the year ahead, set bold goals, and dream up new innovations, it’s so important that we take a moment to pause and reflect. Our global community—a community that includes you—has accomplished so much in the last 12 months. What’s more, our clients have built their businesses, grown their savings, and achieved countless milestones, resulting in remarkable transformation for themselves, their families, and their futures.

When our global team, donors, and partners come together, we do remarkable things—so today, we invite you to look back with us and celebrate. Together in 2023, we…

Invested in innovations in agriculture

Recognizing the enormous risks natural disasters and climate change create for smallholder farmers, we focused on climate resilience in 2023—training farmers on regenerative agriculture and developing The Climate Collateral Alliance to promote agriculture activities with the potential to help communities weather climate crises.

Read more about our work to foster climate resilience»

Opportunity International was also selected for the Catalytic Climate Finance Facility—leading a $75 million initiative to mobilize blended capital to smallholder farmers and agriculture MSMEs facing the brunt of the climate crisis. Smallholder farmers provide up to 80 percent of the food supply in developing nations while also facing the greatest risk from the increasing frequency of climate catastrophes around the world. As part of this initiative, we will help local financial institutions innovate and invest in the transformative solutions that smallholder farmers need to adapt to increasing extreme weather events.

In Malawi, we developed and piloted a ChatGPT-based service that provides answers to farmers’ questions based on specific, localized farming information. Farmers can ask the app detailed questions about their particular crops (i.e., given my conditions, should I use an herbicide or a fungicide?) and get region-specific responses and advice—all from the convenience of their phone through WhatsApp.

Finally, through new digital tools, we were able to dramatically streamline farmers’ access to loans, which they use to purchase seed, fertilizer, and other essential inputs. This important innovation was featured in the Financial Times: “In Uganda, Opportunity International agents equipped with iPads can access credit scorecards and behavioral analytics to run credit checks while on the farm. This has cut loan approval times from 60 days to four,” says Timothy Strong, Opportunity’s Head of Agriculture Finance.”

Read the full story in the Financial Times»

Received an incredible commitment to fund education in Ghana

In February, Opportunity International received a $14M commitment from USAID to fund education in Ghana. As USAID Deputy Mission Director Lang said, “A quality education should not depend on where you live or which school you attend. We want every child to have access to a quality education. The $14 million activity we are launching today will support low-cost private schools that serve rural and disadvantaged communities. The activity will support those schools to improve education access, quality, and learning outcomes for students, and increase private sector investments in northern Ghana.”

This work with USAID is yet another huge step for our Education Finance program, which reached a remarkable milestone last year of serving 12 million children around the world. Through an ever-growing network of partners, we are helping students go to—and stay in—school and helping schools improve the quality of their facilities and the education they offer.

Read more about the USAID commitment and what it means for students in Ghana»

Launched Team Opportunity

In October, five runners crossed the finish line of the New York City Marathon as the inaugural members of Team Opportunity—our new endurance challenge program.

Team Opportunity invites adventure seekers to participate in extraordinary running, climbing, and hiking events worldwide to build awareness of global poverty and raise money for Opportunity’s work supporting women living in extreme poverty in Malawi. Through the marathon, Team Opportunity put their passion into action by raising over $42,000!

Next up, Team Opportunity is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in July 2024 and hiking the Grand Canyon Rim to River in the fall.

Learn more about Team Opportunity—and find out how you can get involved!»

Brought donors together to celebrate, advocate, and invest in our future

All year long, donors gathered to celebrate our progress out of poverty and commit to tackling the challenges ahead. With support from incredible members of our community, we hosted a Summer Soiree in Minneapolis, a celebration on the roof of the Old Post Office in Chicago, a powerful night at the Ghanaian Embassy in Washington DC, two intimate evenings in Southern California, and events in Naples, New York City, and more throughout the year.

In addition, our seven Donor Trust Groups continue to gather, involve their communities, and spark significant transformation for our clients. A group led by Jeannie Burns Buckner reached their goal of serving 20,000 refugees in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda, and the group led by Jill and Steve Smith traveled to Colombia to see their impact in action.

Expanded many of our key programs

In 2023, we expanded Education Finance and onboarded 815 schools in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, India, and Pakistan to our EduQuality program. Today, 2,725 schools in 13 countries are part of EduQuality, and we are currently impacting over five million children in 24 countries in partnership with 99 financial institution partners.

We also expanded our proven Graduation Model, launching the program in Colombia. Mary Luz Marimon (pictured above), a mother of four in Cartagena, is one of 250 families participating in a two-year program where they will begin income-generating activities, receive robust training and a monthly stipend, and be part of a savings group. Mary Luz shared, “I am happy and proud to be part of this program…I need the help…I want to have a better life.”

We are also expanding savings groups in Africa, creating more opportunities for farmers to build their savings together, and piloting digital savings groups to increase efficiency, trust, and transparency. Patricia Moloson is a member of a Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) and was recently elected secretary. As she cares for her four children and her late sister’s four children, she is building her savings for the future. She explained, “I save $0.50-$1.00 per week…I am putting aside savings so that my children can all attend school.”

Presented at events around the world

In September, Simona Haiduc, Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships, and Andrew McCusker, Head of Education Finance, spoke at events surrounding the United Nations General Assembly. In two panels, Simona highlighted the significant role of women and youth-led SMEs in global economic progress and the immense potential that technological advancements have for the least developed nations—places where Opportunity has decades of experience. Later in the week, Andrew brought together distinguished panelists from organizations like Luminos Fund, Street Child, and more for a conversation centered on the future of global education.

Opportunity team members Greg Nelson, Paul Essene, Ama Akuamoah, and Tim Strong joined Webster Jassi, the Minister of Agriculture in Malawi, and Anders Gunderson, CEO of Sensonomic, for a panel at Financial Inclusion Week to discuss increasing digital financial inclusion for rural smallholder farmers through AI and machine learning. The conversation channeled futurist William Gibson’s famous words: “The future is already here, it’s just not very evenly distributed.”

At the Cracking the Nut conference in Washington DC this summer, our team joined organizations like the Visa Foundation, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), CGAP, and Aceli Africa to brainstorm new solutions to build farmers’ resilience and identify opportunities to increase investment in our clients.

Thank you so much for being part of the Opportunity community and helping make these milestones happen. We are grateful for you—and we’re so excited for all we will achieve together in 2024!

 

 

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Tue, 23 Jan 2024 14:51:15 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2024/january/atuls-year-in-review-2023 Hallie Kobylski
SDG Action: Opportunity International at the United Nations https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/october/sdg-action

“The SDGs are not about checking boxes.  They’re about the hopes, dreams, rights and expectations of people and the health of our natural environment.  They’re about righting historic wrongs, healing global divisions and putting our world on a path to lasting peace.” – UN Secretary General Antonio Guitierrez.

This year’s United Nations General Assembly was more than a convening of leaders, it was a clarion call for action. With data showing a slowdown in progress for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UN and other global leaders used this year’s UNGA as a means to drive new action toward achieving a world without poverty – and Opportunity International’s Simona Haiduc and Andrew McCusker were there to bring the voices of our clients into focus for leaders and changemakers from around the world.

And similar to Opportunity CEO Atul Tandon’s discussion with the Associated Press on inspiring passion for the SDGs, our teammates sought to uplift the hopes of those in attendance at the week’s activities.

Making Waves at the SDG Action Weekend

The convening started with SDG Action Weekend, meant to bring together stakeholders, UN entities, and Member States to set out new specific commitments and contributions to drive global transformation and achieve the SDGs between now and 2030.

Opportunity International, represented by the articulate Simona Haiduc, our Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships, voiced a commitment towards not only poverty alleviation but a holistic approach to achieving all SDGs.

In two panels, Simona highlighted the significant role of women and youth-led SMEs in global economic progress and the immense potential that technological advancements have for the least developed nations – places where Opportunity has decades of experience. Simona articulated the challenges we still face, like the impacts of COVID, inflation, and geopolitical unrest. But more importantly, she was able to share how collaboration and innovative strategies are actively alleviating poverty and enhancing economic prospects – even in the face of these global challenges.

Simona’s perspective as the only NGO leader on her panels shed light on how financial inclusion and humanitarian efforts can synergize and create real outcomes. Some of the key takeaways from her events included:

  • Investing in women and youth and supporting the end of extreme poverty is not a charitable endeavor, it is a good investment. We need everyone to believe in and invest in women and youth – not just donors but on-the-ground partners, advocates, and financial institutions.
  • We need to address digital inclusion alongside financial inclusion. The most effective way to involve and reach rural women and families is through digital solutions. We’re proud to offer high-touch, high-tech solutions that serve these families, and partners help us scale this technology.

You can find Simona’s panel discussion on supporting women and youth led business owners here.

Spotlight on Global Education at the UNGA Side Event

After the weekend, the UNGA side event hosted by Opportunity International EduFinance Head Andrew McCusker brought together distinguished panelists from organizations like Luminos Fund, Street Child, Global Business Coalition for Education, and more, the discourse centered on the future of global education.

Debunking the myth of a supposed divide between access to education and its quality, the panel unanimously championed the cause of guaranteeing access as the precursor to quality. The insights presented also underscored the importance of grassroots initiatives, emphasizing collaboration with local communities as paramount to achieving scalable success.

Another staggering revelation pointed to the global need for nearly 67 million new teachers by 2030, setting the stage for organizations to rise to this immense challenge.

You can learn more about the need for more schools, teachers, and activities for the world’s emerging youth here.

A Unified Voice for Change

As champions for the economic empowerment of marginalized communities, Opportunity is at the forefront of driving real impact. But it all starts with understanding the needs and strengths of the millions we serve around the globe, which is why events like this are so very important – and should illicit hope in all of us. These events were not just platforms for dialogue but were potent reminders of the collective responsibility and the potential of collaborative efforts.  With organizations like Opportunity International taking the lead, there's renewed hope for a world free from poverty and where quality education is accessible to all.

 

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Wed, 18 Oct 2023 15:13:00 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/october/sdg-action Hallie Kobylski
Staff Spotlight: Camilo Garcia https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/october/staff-spotlight-camilo-garcia

Leadership in Colombia

Anyone who has had the pleasure of meeting Camilo Garcia knows the warmth of his smile and the kind gleam in his eyes. Camilo has been with Opportunity for the past 12 years, and he has served as the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships in Latin America for the past three years. He is an experienced businessperson motivated by a desire to lift up the people of his birthplace and strengthen opportunities for current and future generations. Like so many fathers across the globe, his son inspires him to make the world a better place, one opportunity at a time.

Camilo collaborates with international colleagues and partners, refining our program focus to reach people living in extreme poverty—families at the bottom of the economic pyramid who have no assets or support but do have an abundance of faith, resilience, and persistence. Camilo and his small team on the ground in Colombia increase access to financial resources, training, and support for people working their way out of extreme poverty in a country mired in its own political and economic challenges.

Prior to joining the Opportunity team, Camilo served as the Chief Financial Officer at a microfinance bank in Bogotá. In search of a finance company with a social mission, he first joined Opportunity as a consultant. He experienced Opportunity’s focus on the most vulnerable people in his country. He visited our clients, listened to their stories, and witnessed the changes in their lives thanks to access to financial literacy and resources, training, and support—and the clients’ own deep commitment to building sustainable lives for their families.

During his time with Opportunity, Camilo has welcomed many visitors to Colombia. When asked what we can do for his staff, his neighbors, and our clients, the response is surprisingly easy: share stories of Colombia’s progress, and share the beauty and potential of this historic country. Visit our work in Colombia and experience firsthand the joy and hope Camilo sees every day.

When you visit, one of the programs you might see is the Graduation Program—known in Colombia as “Pathway to Opportunities.” This rigorous 18-month program in Cartagena serves 250 families who learn business and life skills that pave a path out of ultra-poverty and provide stability for their families. The program helps participants create business plans that outline their dreams, goals, and journey to self-sufficiency. Camilo—as a lifelong financial professional—shares that he “learns from their business plans—they have such clarity of purpose and goals; they just need the opportunity and tools to put it into action.” Graduation participants are “intelligent, resilient, and capable—to hear them speak with more confidence about their lives, even in the most difficult circumstances—is inspiring.” Many of the staff working with the Graduation families have grown up in similar circumstances; the staff become trusted advisors and counselors during and after the program.

You also might hear Camilo speak about his four-year-old son, Juan Martin, and their close-knit family. Family is a priority for Camilo; he is committed to creating a world in which his son can thrive—and to teaching his son to have a heart for serving others.

Camilo earned a master's degree in finance from Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, and two bachelor’s degrees from the Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá in Economics and Finance and International Trade. Camilo speaks three languages, is a member of the board of directors of AGAPE—our implementing partner in Colombia—and was part of the board of directors of Opportunity Bank in Colombia.

To hear Camilo speak about Opportunity’s work and impact in Colombia, watch this video that explores the sights and sounds of the country where Opportunity first launched our work more than 50 years ago.

And to enjoy ajiaco, one of Camilo’s favorite Colombian soups, follow this recipe!

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Tue, 17 Oct 2023 14:06:50 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/october/staff-spotlight-camilo-garcia Hallie Kobylski
2023 Goalkeepers Report: A Reason for Hope https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/september/2023-goalkeepers-report-a-reason-for-hope Thu, 21 Sep 2023 14:07:00 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/september/2023-goalkeepers-report-a-reason-for-hope Hallie Kobylski Changing Lives, 10 Cents at a Time https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/august/changing-lives-10-cents-at-a-time Tue, 15 Aug 2023 14:54:42 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/august/changing-lives-10-cents-at-a-time Hallie Kobylski Staff Spotlight: Lucy Kabalisa https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/august/staff-spotlight-lucy-kabalisa Fri, 11 Aug 2023 14:44:00 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/august/staff-spotlight-lucy-kabalisa Hallie Kobylski CATALYZE: Improving Schools & Empowering Learners https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/august/catalyze-improving-schools-and-empowering-learners Thu, 10 Aug 2023 09:34:05 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/august/catalyze-improving-schools-and-empowering-learners Hallie Kobylski All good things must come to an end https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/august/all-good-things-must-come-to-an-end Tue, 08 Aug 2023 14:33:35 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/august/all-good-things-must-come-to-an-end Hallie Kobylski Governor Spotlight: Rita Ullom https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/august/governor-spotlight-rita-ullom Mon, 07 Aug 2023 16:20:00 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/august/governor-spotlight-rita-ullom Hallie Kobylski Ready to travel this summer? (No transportation required!) https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/july/ready-to-travel-this-summer

Whether you have a summer vacation planned or not, you can explore the world through the pages of a great book! Join the Opportunity Book Club as we travel between Accra, Lagos, London, and New York in Taiye Selasi’s celebrated novel, Ghana Must Go.

The captivating story opens with the death of a renowned surgeon in suburban Accra—an event that calls his five children home to Ghana from their homes across the globe.

As the narrative unfolds, Selasi weaves the children’s perspectives together as they reflect on their complicated relationships with their father and his legacy. At its heart, Ghana Must Go investigates the impact we have on our children, the tangled roots of the African diaspora, and what it means to be a family.

Explore Ghana—a country where Opportunity International equips farmers, builds innovative tools, and ensures children can access a high-quality education—through this engrossing novel

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Wed, 05 Jul 2023 03:15:00 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/july/ready-to-travel-this-summer Hallie Kobylski
Conference Insights: Cracking the Nut 2023 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/june/conference-insights-cracking-the-nut-2023

Inflation, the war in Ukraine, and climate-related disasters have placed incredible strain on the global food system. For the world’s smallholder farmers—who make up two-thirds of those experiencing extreme poverty—these international events wreak havoc on their day-to-day lives.

At Opportunity, we see the positive impacts of investing in the world’s smallholder farmers. By expanding opportunities through financial services, training, and support, we have helped over 540,000 farmers in sub-Saharan Africa grow more and earn more.

“To move the needle on rural poverty and really have a chance at changing the landscape of rural poverty, investing in agriculture is crucial,” said Simona Haiduc, Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships. “We need to have a deep understanding of the challenges that these populations have and respond with individualized approaches.”

But without new interventions to address these crises, the progress made by the world’s smallholder farmers over the last two decades is at great risk.

Creating the conditions to better support farmers and transform their livelihoods to become more resilient requires a variety of tools, approaches, and financing—and it must be done at a global level.

This year’s Cracking the Nut Conference, hosted by Connexus in Washington D.C., allowed Opportunity International to connect with our peers from around the globe to further strengthen those efforts. In collaboration with organizations like the Visa Foundation, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), CGAP, and Aceli Africa, we brainstormed new solutions and identified opportunities to increase investment in and support for our clients.

One of the most crucial needs identified was an increase in support for climate adaptation efforts. While resources are available for current humanitarian and longer-term climate mitigation efforts, there isn’t enough support for those facing these new disasters head-on. Led by Randy Kurtz, Executive Vice President of International Programs & Capital Solutions, and Mark Castellino Senior Vice President of International Business Development, Opportunity presented a panel discussion that laid bare the dramatic need for more private and public investments to equip smallholder farmers for the next emergency.

“The impact of catastrophic weather is even greater on our clients because there are no other support systems for them,” said Kurtz. “If a smallholder farmer in Malawi loses their crop, they don’t eat. Their kids don’t go to school. That’s what makes our work so important.”

We know that bringing more players to the table actually works because we have seen it first-hand. Opportunity’s Head of Agriculture Finance Tim Strong and Haiduc shared in another conversation that examined different business models which enable our success for the agriculture sector, while still ensuring outcomes and impact for smallholder farmers.

The panel highlighted how collaborative efforts can develop larger solutions that strengthen not only smallholder farmers, but entire economies.

“This conversation gives us a chance to ask ourselves how we can make investing in our clients more efficient, more effective, and more profitable,” said Strong. “Part of why I love knowledge exchanges like this conference is specifically because one size does not fit all, and we must be adaptive in our investments based on both our limitations and opportunities.”

With dozens of private, public, and nonprofit partners coming together for two days, the event provided a collaborative learning space, sharing experiences and best practices on innovative approaches—and strengthening the foundation of our combined missions to support a stronger food system that serves all of us.

“This is the challenge of our lifetimes,” Castellino said. “But getting a glimpse of what the potential is to meet that challenge is exciting.”

 

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Thu, 22 Jun 2023 17:20:37 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/june/conference-insights-cracking-the-nut-2023 Hallie Kobylski
Building Safe Futures for Refugees https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/june/building-safe-futures-for-refugees Tue, 20 Jun 2023 14:09:19 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/june/building-safe-futures-for-refugees Hallie Kobylski Staff Spotlight: Jim Delaney https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/june/staff-spotlight-jim-delaney Fri, 16 Jun 2023 06:00:00 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/june/staff-spotlight-jim-delaney Hallie Kobylski Governor Spotlight: Jeannie Burns Buckner https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/june/governor-spotlight-jeannie-burns-buckner Thu, 15 Jun 2023 06:00:00 +0000 https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2023/june/governor-spotlight-jeannie-burns-buckner Hallie Kobylski