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News Blog

Breakout Session: Agricultural Finance: Cultivating Hope

by Emily Riemer

With 65% of the Sub-Saharan African labor force employed in agriculture, which provides 32% of GDP growth, according to the World Bank, the importance of the sector to the economy is clear. Agriculture is recognized as the key to revitalizing Sub-Saharan Africa’s rural regions and significantly reducing the level of poverty. In this breakout session, John Magnay, Opportunity International‘s senior agricultural advisor, explains Opportunity’s innovative and holistic approach to providing small-scale…

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Watch it Live! Opportunity International Conference Video Stream Starts Friday 8:30 a.m. PST

by Opportunity International

Unable to join us in person for the Opportunity International Conference? No problem. Just tune in tomorrow-Friday, Oct. 14 at 8:30 a.m. PST–as we stream live video from the conference until Saturday, Oct. 15 at 12:00 p.m. Go to opportunity.org/live to watch it live. Here are just a few of the plenary and breakout session speakers on Friday and Saturday who will share their expertise and experiences in reducing global poverty—and inspire you to become part of something big: Steven Levy, author,…

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Opportunity Implementing Member ASKI in the Philippines Wins SIPAG Award, Donates Prize to Local Typhoon Victims

by Opportunity International

Opportunity International is proud to report that one of our implementing members in the Philippines, Alalay Sa Kaunlaran Sa Gitnang Luzon, Inc. (ASKI), was recently rewarded for their outstanding achievements by the National Livelihood Development Corporation (NLDC). The honorary award received by ASKI was part of the sixth annual SIPAG (Sustainable Income for People in Agrarian Grassroots) Awards, which started in 2006 to encourage and promote the best practices and achievements of NLDC’s partner…

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Congratulations to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, One of the Winners of 2011 Nobel Peace Prize

by Opportunity International

Congratulations to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, winner of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize along with Liberian peace activist Leymah Gboweeh and Yemeni pro-democracy human rights campaigner Tawakkol Karman. They were the first women to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize since Professor Wangari Maathai, who passed away a couple weeks ago, won in 2004. It was awarded to them in acknowledgment of their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation…

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What We’re Watching: Banking on Education Video by Students of the World at CGI 2011

by Opportunity International

We’re watching this video produced in partnership with Students of the World, which had its world premiere on the main stage at this year’s CGI. In it, Opportunity staff and clients discuss the goals and the impact of our Banking on Education program, which provides loans, savings and training to 280 schools serving 120,000 students in Malawi, Uganda and Ghana so that more impoverished families can educate their children. Watch it now: Want to learn more about Opportunity’s work to improve…

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Building Access to Savings and Financial Services

by Opportunity International

Despite a desire to save and plan for the future, impoverished people are often excluded from commercial banks. In fact, fewer than 10% of people living on less than $2 a day have access to savings accounts. In the last 40 years, Opportunity International has become a global leader in building regulated banks that provide interest-bearing savings accounts to impoverished people. With money in the bank, our clients can now purchase medicine for a sick child, replace a leaking roof, or prepare for…

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Faith in Action: Opportunity Supporter Walks 500 Miles of Christian Pilgrimage El Camino de Santiago

by Opportunity International

With just 50 miles to go, Opportunity International supporter Ann Loar Brooks is about to complete a 500-mile walk for Ugandan women. Ann began her journey on August 27th, hiking the last 500 miles of the Christian pilgrimage El Camino de Santiago, which starts from southern France and winds through the Pyrenees across northern Spain. Her mission: to raise awareness about Opportunity and donations of $15,000 through an online fundraiser to support the Women’s Opportunity Network Uganda campaign,…

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Mobile Phone Banking & Technology: Learn from Microfinance Experts

by Opportunity International

Geoffrey Thige, chief operations officer of Opportunity International Kenya, arrived at our Oak Brook, Ill. offices this week–his first stop in a U.S. tour that culminates as a guest speaker at Opportunity’s conference in San Francisco, Oct. 14-15. With over 15 years of experience in microfinance, COO Thige oversees Transformation, IT, Risk/Compliance and Special Projects at Opportunity Kenya, guiding his staff to directly impact the lives of clients through training programs that enable them…

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What We’re Watching: Opportunity Lifts Up Families with the Support of the Caterpillar Foundation

by Opportunity International

It’s through the commitment of individuals and strategic partner organizations like the Caterpillar Foundation that Opportunity International is able to do so much to impact the lives of our clients. Watch this video about Opportunity’s work to end global poverty with the support of the Caterpillar Foundation: Want to learn more about our partnership with the Caterpillar Foundation? Go to caterpillar.com/foundation»

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In Memory of Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

by Rob Meloche

I had the great honor of twice meeting Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai. The first time was in the frenetic hallways of the Clinton Global Initiative in New York. The second was in a quiet lecture room at the Los Angeles Public Library. While the settings were in stark contrast, Professor Maathai was quite the same in both: powerful, gracious and wise. She did not seem to rate the contrasting rooms or the people in them of greater or lesser importance. Her gravity not only drew both rooms to her, it…

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