Stories
My First Time in the Field
IT Manager for Opportunity International U.S, Shane Ulrich, sat down with Katie Morgan, Online Marketing Specialist, to talk about his first time visiting the field. See what Shane has to say about his time in Malawi.
Read MoreCreating Opportunity for Women through Digital Inclusion
“Innovative fashion entrepreneur” may not be the first words that come to mind when meeting Janet Asamoah. You probably won’t see her in London, Paris, or Milan wearing the latest from Vera Wang or Stella McCartney. But after 10 minutes of hearing her story, it becomes evident she is an executive focused on success and taking advantage of mobile financial services to achieve it. Janet sells used clothing on the streets of a community near Accra, the capital of Ghana. While her bright smile…
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Infographic: The Power of a Tablet
We broke down how technology is allowing our clients to access financial services in a totally different way. Loans, savings accounts, and even account security—see how tablets are becoming a critical tool for serving people in rural areas of the developing world. Download the Full Resolution PDF
Read MoreAnnouncing Our March Book Club Selection
Join us for the Opportunity Book Club and read with us! Each month, we will select a book about a country in which Opportunity works, an issue that is relevant to our clients, or a topic of interest. Read with us, join our discussions online, and broaden your perspective of the world. This March, in honor and celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, we are reading: Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn A #1 National Bestseller, Half the Sky serves as a “passionate…
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Meet and Greet with Chikondi Mpokosa
Meet & Greet with Chikondi Mpokosa February 22, 2018 // by Heather Kaczrowski I recently had the pleasure of sitting down to interview Chikondi Mpokosa, our new Programme Director for Women & Girls, when she was in our Chicago office during a whirlwind trip to the U.S. A few things about Chikondi: she was born and raised in Malawi, and she has worked in nearly 20 countries around the world doing development work, advocating on behalf of women and girls, especially with regards to gender equality…
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Transformation in Action: My Visit to Linda's Bakery
Transformation in Action: My Visit to Linda's Bakery February 14, 2018 // by Atul Tandon In my professional circles, my colleagues and I often use the word transformation. For those of us working in poverty alleviation and development, this word is the big end goal—representing lives, families, and futures that are forever changed. Yet often, transformation can feel vague. It can become a convenient term, rather than what it really is: a person’s life story. Transformation is my friend…
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Clients Who Inspire Us
Clients Who Inspire Us January 29, 2018 // by Katie Morgan Every day we are inspired by our amazing clients who are working their way out of extreme poverty. Meet three of these remarkable individuals who are creating opportunity for themselves, their families, and their communities. It is client stories from Caroline, Ben, Proscovia, and so many more that are made possible by incredible supporters like you! Proscovia, Uganda When Proscovia Kiweewa approached Opportunity…
Read MoreMeet David Bussau
This story was originally published by Opportunity International Australia. Starting life in an Anglican boys’ home, Opportunity International Australia founder David Bussau launched his career as an entrepreneur at age 15 with a rented hotdog stand. Twenty years later, and with numerous successful businesses to his credit, he reached what he refers to as the ‘economics of enough.’ In 1974, with his young family in tow, David traveled to Darwin, Australia, and headed up a national movement…
Read MoreFive Things I'm Grateful For This Year
As I reflect on this past year, I am filled with a combination of disparate emotions. Joy for another year of life surrounded by so many incredible friends and colleagues, excitement and anticipation for the year ahead, and heartbreak over the challenges Opportunity clients still face—poverty, pain, and suffering so severe that they turn my stomach just to read about them. But above all, I am overcome with gratitude and excitement. I am grateful to be alive at this exciting time—a season when,…
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The Power of Stories
The Power of Stories January 10, 2018 // by Abbie Condie As a researcher for Opportunity, I love any chance I get to visit our partners in the field and witness Opportunity’s transformative work first-hand! Days before Thanksgiving I had the chance to attend the Fifth Annual Leadership Congress – an event that recognizes the hard work and dedication of client leaders from our Trust Groups in Colombia. These are women (and a handful of men!) who have been recognized by their loan officers…
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