With support from Credit Suisse, Opportunity International is investing in education around the world.
Opportunity's innovative Education Finance program empowers school proprietors to provide high-quality, accessible education and makes it possible for students to stay in school. Through products and tools such as EduSave, School Fee Loans and School Improvement Loans, Opportunity International is transforming access to and quality of education around the world.
Partnering with Credit Suisse to Empower Generational Change Through Education
With support from Credit Suisse, Opportunity International will expand the Education Finance program to serve communities in the Dominican Republic, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, India and the Philippines.
"Investing in education is one of the most decisive ways to help people work their way out of poverty. Research has shown that education raises a student's future economic status and can even extend their life expectancy. We look forward to continuing our importatnt partnership with Credit Suisse to expand educational opportunities for thousands of youth through access to financial services." - Vicki Escarra, Global CEO, Opportunity International
"More than 67 million children worldwide are not enrolled in schools, often because their families simply cannot afford the costs of school fees, tuition or supplies, or because quality education isn't available where they live. Credit Suisse and Opportunity International understand that investing in education is an invetmetn in the future. That's why we've partnered - to ensure that children around the world have opportunities to learn and grow." - Manuel Rybach, Global Head of Corporate Citizenship and Foundations, Credit Suisse
The Education Finance Program
Through the partnership, Opportunity plans to:
- Provide 2,200 school improvement loans to private school proprietors, impacting the access and quality of education for approximately 484,000 students.
- Provide 52,000 school-fee loans to parents and studnets to help parents to pay tuition and fees, impacting the education of approximately 161,000 students.
- Pilot and expand additional educational services to provide young people with a formal education and the skills they need to get a job. Services provided will include child savings accounts and youth financial education in Africa; literacy and mathematics education to low-income women in India; and the EduSave program - an innovative, free insurance program to cover a child's school costs in the event of a parent or guardian's death or permanent disability.
- Provide education finance bank staff with training and development opportunities to help them service Opportunity's growing educational programs.
