News Blog
Changing Lives, 10 Cents at a Time
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…
Read MoreStaff Spotlight: Lucy Kabalisa
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…
Read MoreCATALYZE: Improving Schools & Empowering Learners
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,…
Read MoreAll good things must come to an end
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…
Read MoreGovernor Spotlight: Rita Ullom
“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…
Read MoreReady to travel this summer? (No transportation required!)
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…
Read MoreConference Insights: Cracking the Nut 2023
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,…
Read MoreBuilding Safe Futures for Refugees
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…
Read MoreStaff Spotlight: Jim Delaney
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…
Read MoreGovernor Spotlight: Jeannie Burns Buckner
Jeannie Burns Buckner, a member of Opportunity International’s Board of Governors, has lived all over the United States and Canada; she is a seasoned traveler; she studied sociology and anthropology. Thanks to the miles she’s clocked and her innate drive and curiosity, she has made connections—and commitments—across the globe that will impact generations to come. Friends of Jeannie’s first introduced her to Opportunity International. She was drawn to Opportunity’s model of identifying…
Read MoreFilters
-
Categories
- 12 Days of Opportunity
- 50for50
- Africa
- Agricultural finance
- Agriculture
- Announcements and News
- Board of Governors
- Book discussion
- Children
- Clients
- Colombia
- Community
- Education
- Education finance
- Ending Poverty
- Entrepreneurs
- Events
- Financial services
- Ghana
- Global Poverty
- Governors
- Insight Trip
- Insight Trips
- Kenya
- Leadership
- Loans
- MFI
- Malawi
- Microfinance
- Microinsurance
- OIC2011
- Opportunity International
- Opportunity International Microfinance Conference
- OptINnow
- Our Mission and Vision
- Our Work
- Poverty
- Rural Outreach
- Rwanda
- Savings
- Tanzania
- Technology
- Training
- Trust Groups
- Uganda
- Women
- Women's Opportunity Network
- YAO
- Young Ambassadors for Opportunity
- book club
-
Archives
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- June 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009