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.
Irene Pritzker, IDP Foundation, Honored with Global Philanthropy Award
Opportunity International congratulates Irene Pritzker, co-founder and president of the IDP Foundation, Inc., who will be honored with the Foreign Policy Association’s Global Philanthropy Award at the World Leadership Forum Dinner on Sept. 22, 2010. The IDP Foundation is ahttp://www.opportunity.org/about/strategic-partners/strategic partner[/intlink] to Opportunity International, working with us on campaigns to promote education and educational finance for entrepreneurs who receive http://www.opportunity.org/our-work/loans/loans[/intlink]…
Read More“5 Myths About Poverty that Christians Should Renounce” by Mark Lutz
Mark Lutz, Opportunity’s senior vice president of global philanthropy and author of the book UnPoverty: Rich Lessons from the Working Poor, wrote the following post on CNN’s Belief Blog, renouncing five myths about global poverty. See the original post on CNN’sBelief Blog. To learn more about the book UnPoverty, check out UnPoverty.org and ourhttp://www.opportunity.org/blog/book-release-unpoverty/recent blog post[/intlink]. Poverty is not an issue. It’s people. We hear about…
Read MoreNews from Africa: New Mobile Banks and Bank Branches for Microfinance Clients in Mozambique
Great news from Mozambique! Banco Oportunidade de Moçambique is proud to announce the August opening of the Chokwé branch and Chimoio mobile bank. Additionally, http://www.opportunity.org/our-work/where-we-work/microfinance-in-africa/microfinance-in-mozambique/Opportunity Mozambique[/intlink] expanded in 2010 with two new hub branch offices, and received approval from both the municipal and Central Bank authorities to open its first container branch office in the Matendene Market. It was…
Read More#MifiMon: Agricultural Finance–Tapping Into an Untapped Market
Bimonthly, we hold the Mifi Monday Twitter discussion on a number of topics related to microfinance. Next time, on Monday, Sept. 27, 12-2 p.m. CDT (GMT -5), join our discussion on educational finance, including small-scale educational entrepreneurs, and the impact of educational opportunities on all people, especially women and girls. In last Monday’s #mifimon conversation, we delved intohttp://www.opportunity.org/blog/john-magnay-on-food-security-in-africa-and-agricultural-finance/agricultural…
Read MoreWhat We’re Reading: The ONE Blog– “Africa’s Future is Female”
Every Wednesday on this blog, we’ll be highlighting an article, book or a blog in our “What We’re Reading” series. We’ll feature pieces or works that we think are noteworthy, inspiring, educational and relevant to the work we do at Opportunity. We welcome your comments in the comment field below–tell us what you’re reading, or respond to the article that we’ve highlighted. This week we love the ONE Campaign‘s blog post, “Africa’s Future is Female,” highlighting their latest report about…
Read MoreTop 3 People Not to Miss at the Fall Microfinance Conference in Washington, D.C.
Twice a year, Opportunity hosts a big microfinance conference, bringing in experts in microfinance, poverty eradication and global development to share their knowledge and experience with Opportunity staff, supporters and people interested in learning more about microfinance. This fall, our conference in Washington, D.C. promises to be as inspiring and engaging as ever. Get to knowhttp://www.opportunity.org/opportunity-international-conference/speakers/three experts[/intlink] on global poverty,http://www.opportunity.org/what-is-microfinance/microfinance[/intlink]…
Read MoreSheryl WuDunn to Speak at Opportunity’s Fall Microfinance Conference in Washington, D.C.
One of the best ways to fight poverty is to educate women and give them economic opportunity. Microfinance institutions are at the center of that solution. I’m looking forward to seeing more and more people getting involved in this effort. –Sheryl WuDunn (March 2010) Sheryl WuDunn, an advocate for global women’s issues and proponent of the empowerment of women through microfinance and education, will be a keynote speaker at Opportunity’shttp://www.opportunity.org/opportunity-international-conference/Fall…
Read MoreWhat We’re Reading: “The Silent Crisis” and Violence in Mozambique
In light of last week’s riots in Mozambique in which 13 people were killed, this post entitled “The Silent Crisis,” published on Opportunity Australia’s blog more than two weeks ago, has even more resonance. This prescient blog posthighlighted the concerns over food security and increases in food prices for economically marginalized people living in extreme poverty all over the developing world, including in India, the Philippines and a number of African nations. The blog reported: Global…
Read MoreInnovations in Technology–Reaching More Clients
Daryl Skoog, Opportunity’s SVP of technology, develops innovations that improve the lives of our clients. Recently, I had the chance to join a conference call with the Colorado-based Skoog to learn about the exciting strategies and products he’s working on. Some highlights from the call: http://www.opportunity.org/blog/cell-phone-banking-examination/Cell phone banking[/intlink] is one of the most exciting tools to bring microfinance to clients, says Skoog. In Kenya, the M-PESA product, through…
Read MoreBack-to-School for Children Living in Poverty
Welcome back to school. It’s an exciting time for kids of all ages: new teachers, new classroom, new school supplies… maybe even new back-to-school clothes. But for children living in poverty, their access to even the most basic education is never a certainty. Yet, education is one of the most vital development tools for economically marginalized individuals and communities. Access to educational opportunities can mean the difference between improving one’s future and mere economic survival.…
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