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© 2024 Opportunity Internationala 501(c)3 nonprofit. EIN: 540907624.

News Blog

Merry Christmas from Malawi

by Emily Riemer

Merry Christmas from our world family to yours. Watch the video below for a special Christmas message to Opportunity supporters from Fanny, Dorothy, Grayson, Elizabeth and Elliot inMalawi–just a few of the more than two million clients around the world whom Opportunity served this year. We wish you a peaceful Christmas season and a joyful new year.  

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A Meaningful Last-Minute Gift

by Opportunity International

Give the last-minute gift that helps end global poverty. You can still order OptINnow gift cards in time for Christmas through one of our two online options: print or email. Go to optinnow.org/giftcard and choose to email your cards to family and friends with a personalized message, or print them out at home to give them in person. Give a meaningful gift in an instant. OptINnow gift cards start at $10 and are a great way to get your family, friends and co-workers involved in the movement to end…

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What We’re Reading: “Microfinance: Women’s Way Out”

by Ruth-Anne Renaud

Every Wednesday, we highlight an article, book or a blog in our “What We’re Reading” series. We feature works that are noteworthy, inspiring, educational or relevant to the work we do at Opportunity. We welcome your comments in the comment field below–-tell us what you’re reading, or respond to the piece we’ve highlighted. The following post reflects on a piece published this week in WomenEntrepreneur.com entitled ”Microfinance: Women’s Way Out,” written by our VP of women’s…

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Opportunity Mozambique Is on a Roll with Three New Mobile Banking Vehicles

by Diane Ferguson

Last week, Doug Pond, head of operations for Opportunity Mozambique, announced the Mozambique Central Bank’s approval of our three newest mobile banking vehicles. Opportunity plans to deploy all three mobile banking vehicles in the coming weeks to significantly increase its outreach to families living in Mozambique’s rural villages. With the rollout of its agriculture finance program, Opportunity Mozambique plans to increase its number of satellite branches and ATM service centers to serve…

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Leading Researchers in Support of Microfinance

by Rob Meloche

This week, nine leading economics researchers–from MIT, UC-Berkeley, Harvard, Yale, Boston University and the Chicago Booth School of Business–co-wrote a piece for the Financial Timesentitled, “Microcredit is Not the Enemy.” In it, they support the principles of microfinance, defend it against the extreme attacks being leveled at the sector, and caution against undermining the financial services that their research has demonstrated “fill a vital need in developing countries.” “Microfinance…

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Five Million People in Five Years: Bank-Building in Africa

by Opportunity International

Last Wednesday, Opportunity staff and supporters gathered for the quarterly conference call hosted by the Board of Governors. The topic was “Bank-Building in Africa” and Opportunity’sBanking on Africa campaign, a discussion led by two of our experts in the International Business Development department: Dennis Ripley, SVP of  programs, and Simona Haiduc, VP of program management. Young Ambassadors for Opportunity (YAO) member Ed Kashmarek got a chance to join in and he shares an…

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In South Africa this Week, Tomorrow’s World Leaders Usher in Hope for the Future

by Lydia Baldridge Meier

Yesterday, December 13, was the start of the World Festival of Youth and Students in Pretoria, South Africa, the largest youth festival in the world. More than 500 young people from around the world are gathering all this week, Dec. 13-21, to discuss social, political and economic issues that affect their generation. Youth represent a growing share of the population in many developing countries, particularly those like South Africa, where the adult population has been heavily affected by AIDS deaths.…

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Today, Honor Human Rights Defenders, Celebrate Human Rights Day 2010

by Opportunity International

This year, the theme for Human Rights Day, on Friday, Dec. 10, is recognizing and acclaiming human rights defenders who act to end discrimination, often at great personal risk to themselves and their families. According to the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights, “the day is also intended to inspire a new generation of defenders to speak up and take action to end discrimination in all of its forms whenever and wherever it is manifested.” So read the stories of human rights defenders…

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Mobile Banking Reaches Remote Microfinance Clients in Malawi, Tanzania

by Opportunity International

Mobile banking including mobile phone banking continues to be one of the great success stories in poverty alleviation for geographically remote microfinance clients in sub-Saharan Africa. Yesterday, the Bureau of International Information Programs at the U.S. State Department published an online article highlighting the ways in which mobile banking is reaching more geographically remote clients in Tanzania andMalawi. According to the report, the majority of Tanzania’s 41 million inhabitants…

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ONE Blog: “Cada madre cuenta!”

by Opportunity International

In honor of World AIDS Day this month, celebrity activist Christy Turlington Burns reports on her ongoing work with (RED) and the ONE Campaign on the No Child Born with HIV campaign. At Opportunity, we’re inspired by her commitment to improving the lives of women in the developing world with these health initiatives. The following blog post, ”Cada madre cuenta!“written by Burns, was originally published on the ONE Blog, and it is Burns’ final post in the three-part series: Model,…

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