Stories
“Is Your Nonprofit Blog a Snoozer?” Find the Solution at SXSW Interactive 2011
Ever wonder how nonprofits write successful blogs, turning high readership into active support? Believe me, it’s a challenge. No matter how interesting your nonprofit’s work, if you don’t offer a variety of content on your blog–a range of technical, informative and human interest stories–it won’t engage supporters. If you’re the editor of a nonprofit blog–or even a for-profit blog–and are challenged to turn passive readers into activists, vote to bring http://www.opportunity.org/Opportunity[/intlink]‘s…
Read MoreAn Unforgettable Family Trip to Kenya and Malawi
Opportunity supporter and member of the Board of Governors, Rich McClure, writes of his experiences on the July 2010 Family Week trip to Kenya and his visits to Malawi: Visiting eastern Africa, we met women and men who have enterprises fueled by microloans, who are selling their goods in crowded, dirty marketplaces in Nairobi and Lilongwe. We spent time with dedicated loan officers and the management of Opportunity branches, transformation staff, and CEOs and regional managers of operations…
Read MoreBring Opportunity to SXSW 2011 and Find Out if There’s “Life After Blackbaud”
Bring Opportunity to South by Southwest (SXSW)! Jonathan Neddenriep, our software engineer, is proposing one of two interactive panels featuring Opportunity at SXSW 2011 in Austin, Tex. His panel is called “Life After Blackbaud.” He says it will explain howhttp://www.opportunity.org/Opportunity[/intlink] “left nonprofit-specific technology platforms and hasn’t looked back.” More details: Traditionally, nonprofits have used CMS and CRM platforms from dedicated nonprofit technology companies…
Read MoreYAO Kicks Off their Chapter in Washington, D.C. with Guest Speaker from Kenya
A few weeks ago, members and supporters of the Young Ambassadors for Opportunity (YAO) gathered in Washington, D.C. at the Financial Services Roundtable for the kickoff of the D.C. chapter of YAO. These globally-minded young professionals were there to network and to meet Betty Mutua, a regional manager at Opportunity International Kenya. Betty brought her nine years of experience in microfinance to the group, inspiring them and explaining to them how access to financial services improves the…
Read MoreMeet Rev. Jennifer Kottler, Leader of a Breakout Session at Fall Microfinance Conference
Reverend Jennifer Kottler is the director of policy and advocacy at Sojourners, an organization that aims to articulate the biblical call to social justice, “inspiring hope and building a movement to transform individuals, communities, the church, and the world.” Kottler will lead a breakout session at the Fall Microfinance Conference on how to be a stronger advocate for Opportunity and its work. A long-time advocate for justice, Kottler has worked at Protestants for the Common Good, the Let…
Read MoreOpportunity Attends the 10,000 Women Leadership Academy
The second annual 10,000 Women Leadership Academy brought more than 100 partners from around the world to Washington, D.C. from June 6-9, 2010. Opportunity International was honored to be in attendance to represent the Emerging Leaders Program, a part of Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Women initiative. http://www.opportunity.org/about/strategic-partners/Goldman Sachs[/intlink] created the10,000 Women program to empower women entrepreneurs worldwide by providing business and management training to them.…
Read MoreGood Gardening with One Hen
The following post was published on the “Stories of Service” blog, written by staff of United We Serve, a nationwide initiative encouraging social service. With the upcoming release of Katie Smith Milway’s book The Good Garden, the One Hen iniative is bringing the lessons of sustainable agriculture and food security to children through two new national service projects. Visit the “Stories of Service” blog… ***** One Hen, Inc. is an innovative organization that helps children…
Read MoreLearnings for YAO from the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit
Being an effective leader can be a challenge. So as the manager of Young Ambassadors for Opportunity (YAO), I’m always eager to learn from effective, experienced leaders from a variety of fields. That’s why I was so pleased when, last Friday, I got the chance to join thousands of people around the world who were listening in and learning from a diverse lineup of Christian and business leaders at the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit, a conference broadcast via satellite from the Willow…
Read MoreFaith, Hope and Love on our Journey to Kenya
Opportunity’s John Kamperschroer, VP of Resource Development, recently returned from an Opportunity Family Week Trip to Kenya. He shares reflections from his travels. As we traveled along the bumpy roads of Kenya, dust and exhaust coated our lungs while receiving–as one driver put it–an “African massage.” We were on our way to visit three Kenyan schools: part of the experience for our Kenya Family Week travel group, which included my 17-year-old son Logan. We wanted to learn how Opportunity loans impact…
Read MoreTop 10 Blog Posts on Education
It’s that time of year again… it’s almost time to go back to school! And for people living in poverty, having access to education is a crucial factor that can help them improve the futures of their children, their communities and themselves. That’s whyhttp://www.opportunity.org/Opportunity[/intlink] offers school fee loans, as well as educationmicrofinance for the establishment of local schools as part of our Banking on Educationprogram. Before you head back to school, be inspired to…
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