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© 2023 Opportunity Internationala 501(c)3 nonprofit. EIN: 540907624.

News Blog

2023 Goalkeepers Report: A Reason for Hope

by Atul Tandon

Last week, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation released its annual Goalkeepers Report—an inside look at pressing humanitarian challenges, the Foundation’s current priorities, and exciting interventions that are improving lives around the world. This year, the report focused on child and maternal health and highlighted a handful of innovative solutions that could collectively save millions of lives. As I read the report, I was struck first by just how essential these life-saving efforts are—all…

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Changing Lives, 10 Cents at a Time

by Atul Tandon

What does it take to change a life? To change a community? Part of this work requires us to constantly ask ourselves truly difficult questions. Those particular questions have not grown easier with time. While we as a world lifted a billion people out of poverty since 1990, the impacts of the pandemic and other global crises have placed these incredible gains at risk—and over 700 million people still experience extreme poverty, living off of less than $1.90 a day. Opportunity’s experts around…

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Staff Spotlight: Lucy Kabalisa

by Joe Dutra

With over two decades of banking experience, Lucy Kabalisa understands the power of finance. As Opportunity’s Education Finance Technical Assistance advisor in Zambia, she brings that expertise directly to low-cost private schools—using data analysis, performance monitoring, and reporting to help school leaders access the resources needed to serve even more children. But Lucy believes the essence of this work goes beyond just numbers and balance sheets—it's about transforming lives and unlocking…

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CATALYZE: Improving Schools & Empowering Learners

by Catherine O'Shea & Joe Dutra

For rural communities in developing economies, teachers and school owners can be some of the most important leaders when it comes to economic growth. Opportunity International’s Education  Finance team is dedicated to supporting those leaders, providing them with linkages to capital to invest in their schools, and delivering professional development training to improve the educational experience for learners. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), one of the most populous countries in Africa,…

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All good things must come to an end

by Opportunity International

In March 2018, we sent a note to our Opportunity community sharing something new—a chance to learn about the world, dive into great literature, and connect with Opportunity clients in a unique way. We launched the Opportunity Book Club, and for more than five years, we’ve delivered monthly book recommendations to your inbox, inviting you to read with your fellow Book Club members around the country, and around the world.  Whether you’ve been with us since the beginning or jumped in somewhere…

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Governor Spotlight: Rita Ullom

by Kelli Walker

“Fantastic!” is the response you receive when you ask Rita Ullom how her day is going—even if that day was filled with unexpected, stressful occurrences. Rita lives her life with optimism, compassion, and a heart as big as her extended family. She is a member of Opportunity International’s Board of Governors; thanks to her energy and advocacy, our clients are working their way out of poverty to live with dignity and purpose. Rita grew up in a large, busy household; her Lebanese grandmother…

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Ready to travel this summer? (No transportation required!)

by Allison Hastings

Whether you have a summer vacation planned or not, you can explore the world through the pages of a great book! Join the Opportunity Book Club as we travel between Accra, Lagos, London, and New York in Taiye Selasi’s celebrated novel, Ghana Must Go. The captivating story opens with the death of a renowned surgeon in suburban Accra—an event that calls his five children home to Ghana from their homes across the globe. As the narrative unfolds, Selasi weaves the children’s perspectives together…

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Conference Insights: Cracking the Nut 2023

by Joe Dutra

Inflation, the war in Ukraine, and climate-related disasters have placed incredible strain on the global food system. For the world’s smallholder farmers—who make up two-thirds of those experiencing extreme poverty—these international events wreak havoc on their day-to-day lives. Opportunity International representing at Cracking the Nut 2023 At Opportunity, we see the positive impacts of investing in the world’s smallholder farmers. By expanding opportunities through financial services,…

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Building Safe Futures for Refugees

by Allison Hastings

At the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in the Isingiro district of Uganda, 150,000 refugees are working and learning, building businesses, and going to school. They are raising their children and making temporary spaces feel like home. They are trying to create better futures for their families. Across the country, Uganda is home to 1.5 million refugees—the most of any African nation. Most are from neighboring South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, countries mired in conflict and struggling…

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Staff Spotlight: Jim Delaney

by Allison Hastings

Jim Delaney, far left, sporting his Opportunity International sweatband. If you see a man sporting an Opportunity International-branded sweatband running through Chicago’s western suburbs this summer, it might be Jim Delaney—Opportunity’s new Director of Peer-to-Peer Fundraising and captain of Team Opportunity. Delaney’s new role combines three of his favorite things: making an impact, tackling big challenges, and rallying new friends around a common goal. First up: the New York City Marathon…

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