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© 2026 Opportunity Internationala 501(c)3 nonprofit. EIN: 540907624.
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Microfinance

Embarking on My Journey to Rwanda & Uganda

by Opportunity International

For one week, our group of eleven will visit Opportunity International’s work in Africa. I invite you to come along on this adventure. Our motley crew rendezvoused in Rwanda on Saturday, August 6, and for the next week we’ll keep you posted on what we’re doing and feeling. We’re going on this journey, traveling through Rwanda and Uganda, to see the impact of Opportunity’s Banking on Africa initiative, a campaign to bring life-changing financial services to millions of people in rural and…

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My Inspirational Meeting in Malawi with Microfinance Client Mary Jackson

by Cynthia Greenwood

Recently, Opportunity International staff members traveled to Malawi, seeing firsthand how technology enables us to deliver microfinance services to rural people living in extreme poverty. They met with Opportunity Malawi clients and local staff to capture the stories of entrepreneurs who are working hard to break the cycle of poverty. Below, read staff member Cynthia’s account of her meeting with client Mary Jackson. At first, Mary was very shy, and wouldn’t look me in the face when I sat down…

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Tanzania Reporter Meets Emilia P. Mtei of the Chapakazi Trust Group

by Kelly Flanagan

She is part of the Trust Group called Chapakazi (translation: Hard-Working) based in Moshi, Tanzania. Her passion is working at her small grocery store where she sells fish, avocados and various other vegetables. Emilia looks over at her loan officer Levina and laughs aloud as we YAO members ask her questions about her loan success and business goals. The women in this group are going into their second loan cycle, glowing with pride over their accomplishments. Levina translates for the women who…

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The Top 10 Blogs about Poverty, Development and Microfinance

by Opportunity International

Blogs are a great way to hear a variety of voices and experience an issue from diverse perspectives and if you’re interested in microfinance and global development there are a variety of sites full of information, opinions, and more. These blogs, like our Opportunity Blog, are fun ways to learn more about the voices and contributors in the microfinance industry. Below are 10 interesting blogs that present unique perspectives on the topic of microfinance. Do you agree with our picks? Let us know…

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Bank on Africa this Summer and Be a Part of Something Big

by Opportunity International

Opportunity International‘s Banking on Africa Campaign is bringing millions of Sub-Saharan Africans closer to the day when they can safely deposit their savings, access loans to grow their businesses and purchase affordable insurance to protect their families—right in their own communities. The Banking on Africa Campaign enables us to provide powerful financial tools in rural and remote areas that help build thriving communities and break the cycle of poverty. This summer, take a small part in…

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What We’re Watching: John Deere Classic on CBS Sports–John Deere Foundation Partners with Opportunity to Make a Difference

by Opportunity International

This video clip, which aired Sunday, July 10 on CBS Sports during the 2011 John Deere Classic PGA golf tournament, celebrates John Deere’s partnership with Opportunity International through the Classic and other initiatives. Here, John Deere chairman and CEO Sam Allen discusses the company’s commitment to philanthropy and economic development at home and abroad, ensuring that lives are improved and better futures created, emphasized by the work of the John Deere Foundation. The John Deere Foundation…

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Opportunity Co-Hosts Financial Literacy Conference in Kenya

by Opportunity International

This week in Nairobi, Opportunity International and The Financial Education Fund (FEF)–which is funded by the Department for International Development (DFID)–are co-sponsoring a Financial Literacy Conference to explore how access to financial services can be facilitated and enhanced through financial education initiatives. The Financial Literacy Conference opened with remarks from Professor Njuguna S. Ndunu’u, governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, who emphasized that financial literacy not…

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Our Prayers for the Millions Affected by the Drought in East Africa

by Opportunity International

For the past two years, a drought has affected East Africa and has placed more than 10 million people at risk. The lack of rain, especially in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia, has caused crops to fail, food prices to rise, and cattle to perish, reducing food sources and food security for the people. Unfortunately, there is no immediate end in sight, as rains are not expected in the near future and the harvest season will not occur for several months. In Kenya, it is estimated that 3.5 million people…

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Update: Opportunity DRC in Kinshasa Grows, Expanding Microfinance to More People of the Congo

by Opportunity International

Opportunity Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) celebrated its grand opening on May 19th in the capital city of Kinshasa. Since Opportunity International‘s arrival in the DRC, we’ve seen marked changes in the lives of the Congolese people. Opportunity DRC is extending much-needed microfinance products in a country where only 1% of the population has access to basic financial services. To date, over 690 Opportunity DRC clients have already received loans to grow their businesses. Two-thirds of…

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What We’re Reading: “Rural and Agricultural Finance in the Spotlight at Cracking the Nut Conference”

by Opportunity International

A few weeks ago, Shari Berenbach, Director of USAID’s Microenterprise Development Office, wrote a blog post on the USAID’s IMPACTblog reported on a conference held in Washington that directly addressed the problems that face agricultural microfinance, as 600 million smallholder farmers currently live on less than $2 a day. Speakers at the conference emphasized new technology as a way to overcome previous obstacles and create opportunities for these populations. Dr. William Jack of Georgetown…

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