50 Weeks of Opportunity
Each week for the next 50 weeks, we will share a piece of Opportunity’s history—major or minor, sobering or inspiring, we have gotten where we are today by facing some of the world’s greatest challenges, with you by our side. Please join us in celebrating the many impactful moments that have built the foundation on which we will embark on our most audacious vision yet: ending extreme poverty.
50 for 50: Where are They Now? Nicaragua Graduates
In 2016, Opportunity International celebrated the graduation of Emprendedora Technical High School’s inaugural class. Founded in 2012 in Granada, Nicaragua, the school is an integral part of Opportunity’s larger Community Economic Development (CED) strategy—one of the many innovative programs Opportunity International has launched over our 50-year history.
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50 for 50: Meet Tito Santa María
Opportunity International is looking back at our history and remembering the clients who have inspired us along the way. One of the earliest recipients of an Opportunity International loan was Tito Santa María, a beekeeper in Colombia.
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50 for 50: The Opportunity International Book Club
In 2018, Opportunity International launched a new way to get involved, learn about the world, and connect with supporters: The Opportunity International Book Club. Inspired by small book clubs that had popped up among groups of donors around the country, the Book Club became a global initiative designed to give our community a way to engage with the regions in which we work and travel the world from the comfort of their couch.
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50 for 50: History of Mobile Banks
Opportunity International has been at the forefront of mobile banking for decades. As technology has developed over time, so has our ability to reach and serve those living far from urban centers—those who are often most in need of resources and support.
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50 for 50: Journeying from Client to Advisor
In 1992, Berta Sierra and her husband joined an Opportunity International Trust Group in Colombia. Berta was such an exceptional community leader that Opportunity invited her to join our staff—and she has been part of our team ever since!
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50 for 50: Bringing Health Insurance to Those Who Need It Most
In 2004, Richard Leftley wrote a white paper outlining the severe risks the HIV/AIDS crisis presented for Opportunity International Trust Groups. He proposed a new, creative solution: very small insurance policies for Opportunity International’s clients.
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50 for 50: YAO Memories
In 2008, a group of young philanthropists came together in support of Opportunity International. They were so impressed by the model and inspired by the clients that they decided to build a community that would help them introduce even more friends to the organization—Young Ambassadors for Opportunity (YAO) was born.
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50 for 50: Origin Stories - Eastern Europe
Opportunity International has always gone where the needs are greatest. In 1993, that meant Eastern Europe—and today it means reaching increasingly rural and impoverished communities around the world. Each new initiative helps us grow and improve the programs and services we deliver to clients.
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50 for 50: Honoring World Hunger Day
Opportunity International's Agriculture Finance program works to end the cycle of low-productivity farming in rural communities and help rural families transform their small farms into more productive, lucrative, and effective enterprises.
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50 for 50: Highlighting Refugee Families on the International Day of Families
Throughout our 50-year history, Opportunity International has always worked to serve those most in need of resources, training, and support. We have moved down the economic ladder, working with those living in extreme poverty.n
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