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.
Malawi 2010
Recently, Maria Largey, director of philanthropy at Opportunity UK travelled to Malawi with Deborah Foy, director of programs. They went to meet with current clients, assess the situation in Nsanje (the region with one of the largest unbanked populations in Malawi), and to see firsthand the effectiveness and success of Opportunity Malawi’s POS devices, mobile banks, agriculturalist specialists and educational financial literacy program. She writes in her blog, Malawi 2010, about her experiences…
Read MoreYAO Launches San Diego Chapter
Young Ambassadors for Opportunity (YAO) launched its San Diego chapter kick-off event this past Friday, March 26, at the Caster home. Core members Anne Edwardson, Chris Tharp, Elise Caster and Troy Finnigan organized the event, which was attended by about 20 young adults. After mingling and munching on appetizers and cocktails, guests heard about the mission of YAO and Opportunity. Special guests included Opportunity VP Char Caldwell, Opportunity Uganda loan officer Frida Mungoma, and Rod Dammeyer,…
Read MoreHere’s a Meaningful Easter Gift Idea
Are you looking for a special gift to put in your child’s or grandchild’s Easter basket amidst the brightly colored eggs and chocolates? Consider an OptINnow gift card (starting at just $25) to help teach youngsters about the importance of giving back out of the many blessings your family has received. Later that day, spend a few special moments together on optinnow.org to choose an entrepreneur to support with a small business loan. Explain that once the loan is paid back, the money will…
Read MoreOutrage & Inspire – All Efforts Great and Small by Roger Thurow
Roger Thurow, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal for three decades, spoke at Opportunity International’s recent microfinance conference in Phoenix. His subsequent post, “All Efforts Great and Small,” on the Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ Global Food for Thought blog, discusses Opportunity’s agricultural finance program and its big impact on farmers in Africa. Read it here http://globalfoodforthought.typepad.com/global-food-for-thought/2010/03/roger-thurow-outrage-inspire-great-and-small.html.
Read MoreProviding Financial Services to Women Creates a Better World
Opportunity has long known what U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated in a video message to the “Women for a Better World” conference in Spain on Saturday—that empowering women is the key to global progress and prosperity. While Opportunity serves all people regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or gender, we place a special emphasis on providing financial services to women since they represent 70 percent of the world’s poor and have the fewest opportunities. Traditionally, 85…
Read MoreJoin ONE, Melinda Gates, & Melanne Verveer
Here’s another opportunity to learn how you can become a more effective advocate in the fight against global poverty. Our friends at ONE are sponsoring an interactive conference next week with Melinda Gates and Melanne Verveer, the first-ever U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues. It’s easy to join in. Just RSVP with your telephone number and ONE will call you at 7:30 PM (EST) on Monday, March 29: Click Here to RSVP On this call, you’ll hear about how smart programs are transforming…
Read MoreAn armchair tour of Tanzania at Opportunity’s Spring Conference
Opportunity’s Spring Conference, hosted last weekend by the Board of Governors in Scottsdale, Ariz., included a breakout session on Tanzania. Attendees were immediately transported to the country by a giant image of majestic Mount Kilimanjaro towering over bright yellow giraffes, accompanied by the soulful, seductive sounds of Tanzanian music. Young Ambassadors for Opportunity (YAO) founder Liesel Pritzker began the session with information on Tanzania, formerly known as Tanganyika. After…
Read MoreCollege Student Shares her Discovery of Microfinance
In January, I spent a couple of hours with staff at Opportunity International’s Oak Brook office. Although it was just a lunch break for them, it was a turning point for me. This semester, I’ve decided to double major in Global Studies and Spanish. And I am so incredibly happy and fulfilled with this decision. I’m loving all of my classes for the first time in my college career, and I am actually incredibly interested in what I am studying. In my Global Studies class, we focus primarily…
Read MoreYoung Ambassador Reporting from Tanzania
On Sunday, Feb. 21, I flew from Chicago, Ill., to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. After almost two days of travel, I stepped out of the Julius Nyerere International Airport into humid, 90 degree weather. I knew I was in Tanzania. Thankfully, my luggage arrived with me and I went on to the Opportunity Tanzania head office. Over the next year, I will be working with Opportunity to assist in its transition to a regulated microfinance bank, offering savings, loans and insurance products to the most impoverished…
Read MoreCelebrating the Board of Governors
With a common passion to help people in the developing world work their way out of poverty, the Opportunity International Board of Governors is a vital ingredient in the fight against global poverty. Numbering over 600 families nationwide, the governors believe that by joining together and supporting the work of Opportunity, they can leverage their resources to make a huge impact. This year, Opportunity’s governors have been busy. Hosting international visitors, holding fundraising events, educating…
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