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News Blog

U.S. Summit for Global Citizenship Starts Tomorrow!

by Opportunity International

Tomorrow, the U.S. Summit & Initiative for Global Citizen Diplomacy begins in Washington, D.C. More than 100 NGO leaders working in nine task force groups on a number of topics, including business and development assistance, have solicited and vetted hundreds of proposals from citizen diplomacy organizations, and selected ten top organizations to present in each task force. More than 500 people are expected to attend the summit. NGOs were called upon to present projects that highlight ways…

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Double Your Business’s Impact on Global Poverty with Caterpillar’s Matching Grant

by Opportunity International

Investing in microfinance through Opportunity International is the best, most efficient way that we’ve found through all of our philanthropic investments to make progress possible in the lives of people who need our help most. - Caterpillar Foundation Vice President Will Ball Caterpillar Foundation announces an aggressive, year-end $1 million challenge grant that will enable corporations and small businesses around the globe to double the impact of their donations to Opportunity. Now through…

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Microfinance Loan Officers Go Green with Electronic Bikes

by John Larson

Opportunity International’s loan officers are going green. They are traveling to loan client locations with the assistance of electric bicycles. If electric cars are the epitome of a culture that is constantly trying to reduce its carbon footprint, then electric bicycles (e-bikes) rank in the same category. That’s why Daryl Skoog, Opportunity International’s SVP of technology, is so enthused about deploying e-bikes to the field. According to Skoog, “With ourrural expansions, we recognized…

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News from ONE: Rwanda gives $1 million to the fight against AIDS, TB and malaria

by Malaka Gharib

The following is a blog post published on the ONE Campaign’s blog yesterday, Nov. 10, written by Malaka Gharib. Here’s some really cool news–we just caught wind that Rwanda is donating $1 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. According to a press release, Rwanda is the fourth African country to contribute to this year’s replenishment, which has received $11.7 billion in commitments from both the private and public sector for the next three years. “Even…

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Meet Opportunity Tanzania Microfinance Client Jumanne

by AJ Renold

The following report is by AJ Renold, YAO’s multimedia reporter on the ground in Tanzania. In September, I had the privilege of meeting one of Opportunity Tanzania’s most interesting clients. His name is Jumanne and he is truly a special person. Jumanne is in the Trust Group called Tausi Group. Having only finished two loan cycles, he is a new member of the Trust Group, where most members have had ten or more loans in the past few years. Trust Groups are aptly named: when a group of individuals…

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What We’re Watching: Podcast on Mobile Phone Banking from Gates Foundation

by Opportunity International

There’s an opportunity for banking to be an innovator. To take advantage of technology that’s out there to solve the problem of how do we serve clients in a more cost-effective way, closer to where they live.-From the podcast: “Efforts by Banks: OIBM, Part 2″ in the series “Mobile Money-Mobile Banking“ Tamara Cook, program officer, Financial Services for the Poor in the Global Development Program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, speaks about the development and growth of mobile…

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What We’re Reading: Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Women Initiative in The Washington Post

by Emily Riemer

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 highlights piece in Sunday’s Washington Post entitled “Goldman Sachs Program Raises Up Women Worldwide” by Kathleen Parker. “Every morning,…

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Stand Up For Africa’s Farmers

by Opportunity International

When times are tough, it’s important to stay focused on what matters to you. At Opportunity, we remain focused on delivering microfinance services that make a real impact on our clients living in very difficult economic situations. In particular, our agricultural finance programs in Africa enable smallholder farmers to pay their bills throughout the growing season, helping them avoid short-selling crops for less than their value just to make ends meet until the harvest. Ways you can help:…

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SEEP Conference Breakfast Workshop, “E-Banking with Agent Networks”

by Opportunity International

The 25th Annual SEEP Conference ended Friday after five days of sessions for microenterprise practitioners to learn and connect on the challenges and opportunities faced by microfinance institutions and policymakers. The breakfast workshop co-hosted by Opportunity and the Omidyar Network. From left to right: Daryl Skoog (at podium), Diana Cazacu (seated), and Gino Picasso (seated right). A number of Opportunity staff were at the Arlington, Va. conference, including SVP of technology Daryl Skoog,…

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Does Microfinance Reduce Poverty? Grameen Hosts a Chicago Event

by Opportunity International

On Monday at the Chase Auditorium in Chicago, Grameen Foundation hosted a lunchtime discussion called, “Does microfinance reduce poverty? A dialogue on the social impact of microfinance as a development tool.” This event aimed to answer this challenge: microcredit has been successful in increasing access to capital by the poor but does it actually reduce poverty for the people it intends to help? Leading experts discussed the value of microcredit as a tool for poverty eradication and Grameen…

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