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News Blog

‘I Want My School to be Big’: Educator Shares Dreams on ‘GOOD’ Blog

by Lauren Williamson

Comfort Appiah was so secretive when she started a school in her home, she didn’t even tell her husband. Fifteen years later, that school now serves 800 children in Accra, Ghana. (And yes, her husband knows.) An Opportunity International loan allowed Comfort to grow the school from its humble roots to approach her goal of educating thousands.Comfort wrote about her journey from underground educator to official school proprietor for the online community GOOD. “I want my school to be big,” she…

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An Unstoppable Loan Client

by Steph Jimenez

Steph was an Intern with Opportunity International in the Summer of 2013. Opportunity International works in more than 20 countries including the Philippines. Manila businesswoman, Concepcion Valenzuela, makes 10 types of ceramics products in her small rented shop. With the help of several Opportunity loans, Concepcion purchased clay, paint and equipment such as a mixing machine and rented a larger shop. She now employs seven workers and produces an inventory of hundreds of products, including delicate…

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Why Private Schools Matter in the Developing World

by Natalie Hornsby

Natalie Hornsby is a member of Young Ambassadors for Opportunity. All children must have access to primary education, as set forth by the UN Millennium Development Goals. This is an incredible goal from a macro perspective—no one can argue against the value of educating children. But the unintended consequences of this universal policy have been devastating, as I recently witnessed in Rwanda. Student-to-teacher ratios have shifted from roughly 30-to-1 to 80-to-1. School days were divided into two…

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Changing the Face of Education

by Opportunity International

Opportunity International’s loyal supporters have partnered with us over the past 40 years to help more than five million people in more than 20 countries break free from poverty. And we know from our experience that one of the best ways to fight poverty is through education. With the help of our loyal partners and supporters, Opportunity International is changing the face of education in the developing world by confronting the major obstacles standing between a child and a classroom. Here’s…

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Educating Students Is a Worthy Investment for All

by Christie Lacey

Christie was an Intern with Opportunity International in the Summer of 2013. Primary School Students at The Ridgway School in Uganda.  In high school I remember bemoaning 7:15 a.m. classes, the monotonous homework assignments, strict teachers and subject matter I never found applicable to my life. It never occurred to me, of course, that I was privileged, that if I had been born in another place I might not have the opportunity to attend school at all. In the U.S. most teenagers see school as…

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Transforming Lives Together

by Ally Lynch

On September 26, Opportunity International will celebrate the Caterpillar Foundation’s 20-year partnership. Opportunity estimates that nearly 18.3 million lives will be improved as a result of grants received from the Caterpillar Foundation from 1994 to 2014, which totals nearly $30 million. Because of their caring and generous partnership, our clients are working their way out of poverty, strengthening their families and building vibrant communities. Here is a glimpse into the lives of those impacted…

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Typhoon Victims Need Our Help Today

by Vicki Escarra

Please join me in praying for the people of the Philippines. Heavy monsoon rains from typhoons Maring and Labuyo have battered the Philippines over the last two weeks causing devastating flooding and affecting more than 2.5 million residents, including 541,554 families in 1,822 villages in 138 towns and 35 cities in 17 provinces. This number included nearly 150,000 Opportunity International clients and staff, many of whom have lost their homes and businesses. They desperately need our help. Our local…

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Entrepreneur Natalie Hornsby Believes in the Power of Education

by Lauren Hawley

Governor Natalie Hornsby was recently interviewed on the radio show “Personal Best” about her role as an entrepreneur, including how she transformed a new product – ZhuZhu Pets – into a global phenomenon. Natalie, who is the Education Chair of the newly-launched Young Ambassadors for Opportunity chapter in St. Louis, Mo., also discussed the importance of investing in the future and how Opportunity’s education initiatives are giving children the chance to succeed. “Personal Best” airs…

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Thoughts on Mandela

by Raechel Cloud

Many continue to hope as anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela remains in critical condition fighting a recurring lung infection that has left him hospitalized since June 8th. As a widely beloved and respected figure, news of Mandela’s illness has been met with sadness, while also leading people everywhere to reflect on the significant contributions he has made to South Africa and the world. Here at Opportunity International we express our gratitude and recognition of Nelson Mandela as one of the…

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What We’re Reading: One Data Report 2013, Part 2

by Trent Anderson

Transparency Makes a Difference Fiscal transparency and the quality of institutions play crucial roles in ensuring that government spending is effective and accountable. Transparency provides people with information they need to hold governments responsible for their use of public funds. Empowered with information, citizens can press governments to spend resources more responsibly – on investments in health services, agriculture and education, for instance – and monitor for misconduct and corruption.…

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