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.
Opportunity International Gift Cards Featured on WABC Holiday Special
Opportunity International fans in the New York City area, take note: Our gift cards will be highlighted on the Channel 7 WABC holiday special, which airs from 7:30-8 p.m. Dec. 14. The segment will showcase our gift cards among other presents that allow you to charitably give back this Christmas. When you fund a loan with an Opportunity International gift card, it’s truly a gift that keeps on giving. Our clients use the loans to fund businesses that transform their lives, their children’s…
Read MoreWhen You Invest in One Family
Everything starts with family – a loving home, caring parents, healthy children and strong communities. When we invest in families, wonderful things happen; lives are transformed. Family is at the heart of Opportunity International's work. Today, over 1 billion people live in extreme poverty. But every day, because of our generous supporters, Opportunity International is able to empower hard-working clients to change their lives for the better. As depicted by this infographic, one $150 loan means…
Read MoreWhat We’re Watching: Mary Ellen Iskenderian at Tedx Wall Street
How did you pay for your house? Your car? Your children’s college education? If you’re like most people, you took out loans. You repaid them with hard-earned money stashed away in an interest-bearing savings account. You worked with a financial advisor to ensure you borrowed and invested wisely. And you took out insurance to provide for your family in the event something catastrophic should happen. Each of these financial services is part of a system that keeps you and your family secure. But…
Read MoreThank You for a Successful #GivingTuesday
In its second year, #GivingTuesday (December 3) presented a selfless response to the annual shopping and spending season by inspiring giving and showcasing philanthropic causes. Opportunity International was honored to join thousands of other charitable causes as a partner. We celebrated this social good movement by encouraging our generous community of followers to empower families around the world to climb out of poverty. Hundreds of supporters drove awareness through online conversations and…
Read MoreTransform Lives on Cyber Monday
This holiday season give a gift that transforms lives. With Opportunity Gift Cards, your friends, family and co-workers can help entrepreneurs in the developing world work their way out of poverty. Gift card recipients can choose a client, like Mary Luz from Colombia (pictured here), help fund her loan and then track her progress via email updates from Opportunity International. Everyday, parents like Mary strive to provide a brighter future for their children. At 13 years old, Mary was forced to…
Read MoreWorld AIDS Day 2013: The Tipping Point in the AIDS Crisis
Back in the bleak early days of the global AIDS crisis, it seemed unfathomable that we’d stand at the edge of its demise just a few decades later. But this Sunday—the 25th World AIDS Day—we’re celebrating a triumphant milestone. Sixteen countries in sub-Saharan Africa have reached a crucial tipping point in the fight against AIDS, according to the global nonprofit ONE, and five more are almost there. The number of new HIV cases diagnosed last year was less than or equal to the number of new…
Read MoreHappy Thanksgiving, from Our Family to Yours
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Opportunity International is giving thanks for you. We couldn’t have helped empower millions of families around the world without our generous supporters. You have helped families in some of the world’s most challenging places put food on the table and send their children to school. You’ve helped entrepreneurs start businesses that not only strengthen their households, but also uplift entire communities. To show you how much you mean to Opportunity International…
Read MoreFamily is at the heart of Opportunity International’s work
It’s instinct to begin nesting when you’re pregnant: painting the nursery, stocking up on miniature blankets and buying new furniture. But imagine if your dream involved not rocking horses and diaper bags but simply trying to get a roof on your home. Aleyda Luque was pregnant with her first daughter, Brittany, and had been living in a walled shelter with no roof for four years when she received her first Opportunity International loan. Along with 17 other families in her Nicaraguan village who…
Read MoreRebuilding after Typhoon Haiyan: Opportunity International Helps Clients, Staff in the Philippines
As Typhoon Haiyan neared the Philippines last week, Opportunity International staff member Jeramae, her husband and her mother fled the coastal village Roxas City in Capiz with just one set of clothes each. They returned after the typhoon to find their neighborhood flattened and their home destroyed. Not a single possession could be salvaged. It has been a tragic week for the Opportunity International family. Typhoon Haiyan left roughly 1,000 staff members’ homes in ruins, and even more devastating,…
Read MoreEntrepreneurs in India are Supporting their Families
Jayanthi works hard to keep her daughters in school Jayanthi’s husband passed away in 2004 after which she sought training in sewing and studied basics in computer. Although she worked several jobs, it was difficult for Jayanthi to support her daughters Lavanya and Abinaya. When she learned of Opportunity International’s Trust Groups in her community, she quickly capitalized on the opportunity and got involved. As a patron of education, Jayanthi never stopped learning even at hard times in life.…
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