Running Towards a Brighter Future

March in Chicago can be cold, gray, and unforgiving. But by the end of the month, there is at least the promise of something better ahead—brighter days, warmer air, and the first signs of spring. For Maayan Essak, crossing the finish line at this year’s Shamrock Shuffle 8K was a reminder of that kind of hope.

Maayan works at Milliman, a global actuarial consulting, risk management, and technology firm and longtime partner of Opportunity International. Already familiar with Opportunity’s work through the Milliman Giving Fund’s support of our mission, Maayan coordinated this year’s Milliman runners as they took to the streets of Chicago in support of ending extreme poverty.

For over half a decade, Milliman and Opportunity International have partnered to enhance economic development, job creation, and quality education for families building lasting pathways out of poverty.

Over that time, the partnership has impacted 389,733 people within our Opportunity Zones—where our comprehensive programming is brought together for increased impact. In 2025 alone, the partnership reached 56,661 people, including 20,273 in Mityana, Uganda, and 36,388 in Cartagena, Colombia.

That kind of practical, long-term impact is what continues to resonate with Maayan, an associate actuary who volunteers as a member of the Milliman Giving Fund’s oversight committee.

“I remember being really impressed as I learned more about Opportunity and how they're trying to find long-term solutions through an economic lens,” he said. “They're enabling people to take control of their own futures.”

That conviction became even more tangible when he saw the work up close. During a visit with Opportunity clients in the Mityana, Uganda Opportunity Zone, Maayan met entrepreneurs who had organized themselves into savings groups and were pooling funds together. What they needed was not a handout, but access—to capital, to systems, and to the kinds of financial tools many people elsewhere take for granted.

“The people you reach are so capable, so dedicated—but sometimes they just need a little capital to get started,” he said. “Even though it isn’t a lot of capital, it can change everything for a business owner.

This year’s Shamrock Shuffle was Maayan’s first time running the iconic Chicago race, joining more than 26,000 people moving through the heart of the city. With six Milliman teammates gathered in matching Team Opportunity shirts, the 8K became more than a race. It was a chance to come together around a shared purpose.

“The most immediate reason I was encouraged to do this was because it was a fun way to bring us together,” Maayan said. “It was a way for Milliman people to meet each other and a way to meet the mission of Opportunity.”

That unity is part of what makes Opportunity’s model so powerful. Through financial services, training, agricultural support, and education financing, Opportunity works alongside local communities and financial institutions to help families build resilience and create momentum that lasts.

“The way Opportunity works with financial institutions is fascinating to me,” he said. “Farmers’ incomes are irregular, so designing financial products that align with those realities Is incredibly important for their financial security. That really resonates with us at Milliman, and aligns with our mission.”

That mindset also mirrors Milliman’s own work, and their approach to giving has made the relationship especially distinctive. Funded by staff, the Milliman Giving Fund gives employees a direct stake in the philanthropy they support.

“Economic growth depends on people being willing to take risks,” Maayan said. “If you don’t take risks, it hampers economic growth. Investing in Opportunity connects us all to each other and to the power that our work can have. Together as a whole, we are invested in doing better for the world.”

For all the energy of race day in Chicago, the real momentum is in what comes after: people coming together, investing in one another, and helping create the conditions for lasting progress. With a new $1,050,000 commitment from the Milliman Giving Fund, the partnership’s impact will only grow from here—a sign of brighter days ahead for hundreds of thousands more.

“At the end of the day, people want to be responsible for themselves,” Maayan said. “They want to make their own living. They just need a little help. If you reduce the risk and provide the tools to innovate for themselves, they can move forward.”