News Blog
The Funding Stopped. The Mission Didn't.
When USAID funding cuts disrupted education programs across six countries, teacher Simon Ottu of Ghana chose action over waiting—training colleagues in the skills he'd gained. His story reflects Opportunity International's EduFinance mission: invest in people, not just programs, and the impact outlasts any grant cycle.
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Florelis Fled Venezuela. In Colombia, She Found a Way to Flourish.
After leaving Venezuela for Colombia, Florelis struggled to find stable work and opportunity. Through Opportunity International’s Ultra-Poor Graduation program, she gained business training, financial skills, and seed funding to launch a tailoring business that is helping her family build a stronger future. Her story is one of millions we celebrate on World Refugee Day.
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From Survival to Stability: How Families in Haiti Are Building a Better Future in Just 18 Months
Extreme poverty isn’t solved with a quick fix. Opportunity’s 18-month Graduation program equips Haiti’s most vulnerable families with assets, skills, and confidence to build businesses, grow savings, and break the cycle of poverty—with 99% achieving a stable livelihood by program’s end.
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Colombia Graduation: A Journey Taken Together
Atul reflects on joining 451 entrepreneurs in Cartagena as they graduated from Camino de Oportunidades, Opportunity International’s Ultra-Poor Graduation program in Colombia. He shares stories of courage, transformation, and the power of walking alongside families as they build new futures.
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How One Woman in Uganda Turned Small Beginnings into a Stronger Future
In Uganda, Ruth transformed her future through financial literacy, entrepreneurship training, and disciplined savings. Today, the farmer, business owner, and mentor is building financial stability for her family while helping other young women grow their own livelihoods.
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What We Mean When We Say “The Last Mile”
“That last mile” isn’t just a place—it’s where barriers to opportunity are greatest. From rural farmers to urban communities, explore how overlapping challenges shape our work and what it takes to create lasting change in the fight against extreme poverty.
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We don’t have an ideas problem in education, we have a financing problem
With a $97 billion annual education financing gap, grants alone cannot meet global demand. Opportunity International explores how catalytic philanthropy, private capital, and innovative education finance models can help scale stronger schools, better learning outcomes, and sustainable education systems.
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Supporting Women and Mothers Worldwide: A cabi Story
Since 2008, cabi has partnered with Opportunity International to support women entrepreneurs around the world. Through donations tied to new Stylists and customer gifts, cabi has helped fund nearly 20,000 small business loans, creating opportunity for women to build businesses, support families, and strengthen communities.
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Running Towards a Brighter Future
After running Chicago’s Shamrock Shuffle with fellow Milliman employees, Maayan Essak reflects on why Milliman’s partnership with Opportunity International matters—and how a new $1,050,000 commitment will help more families build lasting pathways out of poverty.
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Building Livelihoods in Colombia: How Opportunity International's Graduation Program Helps Families Move Beyond Poverty
Opportunity International’s graduation program in northern Colombia has helped 750 families move beyond extreme poverty. Participants receive training, mentorship, financial inclusion, and seed capital to build sustainable livelihoods—raising average daily income from $0.86 to $2.53 and strengthening communities.
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