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: Origin Stories - Asia
In 1974, a farmer named Ketut received Opportunity International’s first loan in Asia. With $50, Ketut and his wife began a tailoring business after purchasing a sewing machine. The microfinance program proved as effective as it was replicable—in 2020 alone, Opportunity assisted more than 6 million families across Asia with small loans.
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A Conversation with the VISA Foundation on SDG #1 – No Poverty
Today is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, celebrated worldwide to recognize the struggles of those living in poverty and promote dialogue amongst stakeholders to end poverty once and for all. See how Opportunity International is working alongside other industry leaders to fulfill a shared vision-no poverty.
Read MoreWomen as Agents of Change
For decades, families living in rural communities in India have struggled to access high-quality financial services. As the nation developed and rapidly introduced modern banking infrastructure, remote regions were excluded from this financial progress.
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50 for 50: 7 Facts about our progress out of poverty
Opportunity International has spent 50 years learning what clients need to break the cycle of poverty. Through innovative solutions that help families build sustainable livelihoods, farmers improve their yields, and children go to school, we have been part of a global movement to reduce extreme poverty—a movement that has seen remarkable progress since our founding in 1971.
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50 for 50: The Earliest Trust Groups
This essay is a selection from the special edition of UnPoverty by Mark Lutz. The new edition has been released in celebration of Opportunity International’s 50th Anniversary, featuring new chapters from leaders throughout Opportunity’s history.
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Navigating our interconnected world
Opportunity International is an organization that works across borders, so communication and understanding are at the heart of so much of our work. Learning how to navigate cultural differences well makes us better leaders, better partners, and better collaborators. This month, we are wading into these differences as we read The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business by Erin Meyer.
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50 for 50: The Power of Digital Finance
This essay is a selection from the special edition of UnPoverty by Mark Lutz. The new edition has been released in celebration of Opportunity International’s 50th Anniversary, featuring new chapters from leaders throughout Opportunity’s history.
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50 for 50: Revisiting the Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, 193 countries committed to 17 ambitious goals—goals designed to promote and measure progress toward equity and development worldwide. This year, as we look back on 50 years of impact, join us as we revisit these essential milestones.
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50 for 50: Exploring the Graduation Model
This essay is a selection from the special edition of UnPoverty by Mark Lutz. The new edition has been released in celebration of Opportunity International’s 50th Anniversary, featuring new chapters from leaders throughout Opportunity’s history.
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50 for 50: The Role of Biometrics in Financial Inclusion
A key innovation in Opportunity programming, biometric identification, overcomes many traditional identification, banking, and account management challenges. Individuals with no reading education or those who do not have or regularly carry government-issued credentials—like a driver’s license or birth certificate—can still open, manage, and access accounts.
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