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© 2026 Opportunity Internationala 501(c)3 nonprofit. EIN: 540907624.
Headquarters: 101 N Wacker Drive, Suite 1150, Chicago, IL 60606

News Blog

Partnering with Nicaraguan Yucca Farmers to Increase Their Profits

by Abbi Antablin

A pungent, unfamiliar, almost rancid but still sweet, scent hit my nostrils: freshly ground yucca meets a growling grinder. Five men man the contraption: one filling the large funnel, one jamming a large stick into the funnel to feed the yucca chunks into the grinder, one scooping the pulp out of the bottom, one shoveling the pulp into a sack, and one, well, doing a great job holding the sack. I’ve eaten yucca fries and mashed yucca, but this is not a culinary operation. Stuffed-full sacks of…

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What We’re Reading: Top 10 Posts on International Women’s Day

by Emily Riemer

As we close out the week, I’m reflecting on some of the articles published in honor of yesterday’s International Women’s Day. Here are just a few of the provocative, interesting, inspiring and even maddening(!) ones I encourage you to read or re-read, in no particular order… 1. “What if Mark Zuckerberg Were Born a Girl in Rwanda?” Huff Post‘s Global Motherhood series – In light of IWD celebrations this week on social media–especially on Facebook–Kate Roberts of Population Services…

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Meet the Women of Opportunity

by Opportunity International

Today, on International Women’s Day, the world comes together to celebrate the achievements, strength and rights of women. On this day, we can all take a few extra moments to see and feel the connections that exist in the community of women that contribute to Opportunity International. It is through these connections that our supporters, staff and clients unite to help and inspire each other. If you’d like to do more to honor and support our women clients, consider making an International Women’s…

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How Will You Celebrate Women on March 8th?

by Ally Lynch

In just one week, on Thursday, March 8th, the world will celebrate International Women’s Day 2012. On this day, organizations and individuals will gather to celebrate the economic, political, and social achievements of women past, present, and future. Here at Opportunity, where 85% of our clients are women, we’re passionate about equipping the next generation of women with education and access to financial services. Because we’ve seen firsthand that having access to these tools can change the…

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Meet Client Monica: She is Clothed with Strength and Dignity

by Diane Ferguson

When I’m having a rough week, I take a quick break to remember Opportunity‘s clients, like Monica Koranteng, who is most definitely a Proverbs 31 woman. Meet Monica: she watches over the affairs of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Before being introduced to Opportunity Ghana, Monica worked as a “hawker,” selling her wares on the streets of Madina. Most days she wasn’t sure if she could sell enough to eat. Finding it nearly impossible to continue in her situation without…

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Connecting in Rural Areas with Enterprise Open Sky (EOS) Technology

by Opportunity International

In remote areas of Mozambique, Ghana and Rwanda, far from the nearest brick-and-mortar bank branch, many Opportunity International clients, regardless of where they live or work, can make transactions in real time using Enterprise Open Sky (EOS). Built by Opportunity’s MIS Services, EOS is a set of computer programs that works seamlessly in conjunction with the core banking system, provided the loan officer can connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi or an in-country cell phone provider. EOS enables…

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Education Programs in Nicaragua: Sending Children to School

by Abbi Antablin

The idea seemed almost too good to be true: a self-sustainable, private high school providing academic coursework in tandem with technical classes and apprenticeship within reach of people living in rural poverty. If it could be done, it would be completely in line with Opportunity Nicaragua’s Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) model. I was sold: hook, line, and sinker. In October of last year I learned of Opportunity Nicaragua’s plans to build an entrepreneurial school near their offices…

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What We’re Reading: A Microfinance, Poverty, Empowerment Reading List

by Opportunity International

Looking for your next big read? We’ve put together a list of compelling books we’re reading, running the gamut from microfinance and international development, to global aid and putting your faith into action. Check out our list and let us know what you think in the comment field below. What would you add, and what doesn’t make your list? Like you, we’re always looking for a good book recommendation so we want to hear from you. 1. Portfolios of the Poor: How the World’s Poor Live on $2…

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Made in Rwanda… Follow Along with Opportunity Canada

by Opportunity International

Yesterday, 20 people from across Canada will be coming together in support of two organizations working in one country, Rwanda, to focus on issues of leadership and the development of human capital. A few participants for the first-ever Made in Rwanda Insight Trip and Leadership Summit are already on the ground and others have started blogging, posting on Opportunity Canada’s Facebook page and sharing about their experiences so far. Here’s a few of them… Lisa Wiebe… and her husband Roland…

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Our Prayers for Victims of Monday’s Devastating Earthquake in Philippines

by Emily Riemer

On Monday morning, a 6.7-magnitude earthquake (U.S. Geological Survey) struck central Philippines in a narrow strait just off Negros Island. The epicenter was closest to Tayasan, a coastal town of about 32,000 people flanked by mountains in Negros Oriental province. The quake could be felt in at least seven central provinces, including Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Cebu and Bacolod, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. Wall Street Journal reports that local government…

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