Stories
Nonprofits Stay Classy at Weekend in San Diego
The CLASSY Awards, in San Diego last weekend, were all about partnership. I was there representing Opportunity International and joined by YAO – San Diego co-chair Mari Gottlieb as Opportunity’s Mother’s Day Global Opportunity Quilt was one of 64 Regional Finalists for the awards. Opportunity may not have won, but we were honored to be a part of this. It was an interactive, inspiring weekend hosted by Stay Classy and co-sponsors that included eBay, Event 360, Network for Good and more. The…
Read MoreClinton Global Initiative 2012: Momentum on Women’s Empowerment, Global Food Security
The Clinton Global Initiative annual 2012 meeting wrapped up this past Tuesday. This year’s theme, Designing for Impact, provided a three-day podium for today’s leading ideas intent on creating more opportunity and equality in our increasingly interconnected world. This year’s distinguished attendees included President Barack Obama, presidential candidate Mitt Romney, President Joyce Banda (of the Republic of Malawi), former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, and President Felipe Calderón (of…
Read MoreWhat We’re Pinning: Today, a Message of Understanding with Pins for Peace
Today, in honor of the UN International Day of Peace, we’ve created “Pins for Peace,” promoting messages of non-violence, understanding and compassion. Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said, “Poverty devastates families, communities and nations. It causes instability and political unrest and fuels conflict.” Opportunity provides financial services around the world because we know that when economies are strengthened, then peace, health and stability reign. Without stability and order,…
Read MoreMicroEnsure Ghana Crosses One Million Milestone for Number of Lives Insured
The following post was originally published on microensure.com. This July , five years after its inception, MicroEnsure Ghana achieved one of its greatest successes: it crossed the milestone of insuring one million Ghanaians, a remarkable achievement considering it was serving just 40,000 lives in 2010. Beginning operations in 2007, MicroEnsure Ghana has held its place as Ghana’s first and largest microinsurance intermediary. Currently, 94.6% of Ghanaians, over 23 million people, have no insurance…
Read MoreLend Your Voice to The Global Appeal for Responsible Microfinance
The following post was originally published on the Center for Financial Inclusion blog by Meghan Greene, Manager of the Microfinance CEO Working Group, the Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion. Today, in front of the 3,000 attendees of the Convergences 2015 World Forum in Paris, microfinance leaders unveiled the “Global Appeal for Responsible Microfinance,” a landmark document that urges all microfinance stakeholders to take concerted action to ensure a strong and principled microfinance…
Read MoreMy Visit to King George School with our New CEO Vicki Escarra
All this week, I’ve been traveling in Ghana meeting clients and staff, seeing firsthand our work in education finance, agricultural finance, and the technology innovations that help us reach many more clients. Over the weekend, I was joined by our new CEO Vicki Escarra, who is traveling on her first of many trips to get to know our work, our international staff and our hardworking clients. Last Friday, I visited King George International School in a crowded market in one of the most impoverished…
Read MoreMeet Women Smallholder Farmers in Ghana
This past week, our Publications & Media Manager, Cynthia, has been traveling in Ghana to meet clients and staff, see our work in education finance and agricultural finance, and experience firsthand the technology innovations that help us reach many more clients. On Friday, I visited three women farmers–Emelia George, Enyoman Hlordzi and Gladys Donu–in Ada, an area two hours outside of Ghana’s capital Accra. As far as the eye could see were small plots of land financed through Opportunity’s…
Read MoreMicrofinance’s Risky Lending Is a Safe Bet
The following post by Kadita “A.T.” Tshibaka, on our Board of Directors, was originally published on The Huffington Post. As I look at the microfinance industry globally, I’m encouraged by the trends and the progress we’ve achieved so far. Whether you search in Wikipedia, CGAP or MIX Market, whatever the source of the data and however qualified, microfinance does have an impact on the lives of some 100 million clients today. And when you take into account that our clients are supporting an…
Read MoreWhat We’re Pinning: FUNdraisers
Every non-profit needs donors and fundraisers to survive. But it’s the most fun when the donors become fundraisers, and use their creativity to raise support for a cause they really care about. This week, we pinned a few of our favorite fundraising ideas that were done for Opportunity, or that we just thought looked like fun! If you’d like to start an online fundraiser on opportunity.org, you can get started here. YAO-LA member Alison Oviedo ran in the mud with friends to celebrate graduation…
Read MoreA Breeze of Change in Ghana
I left Opportunity Ghana for the U.S. in 2007, after almost four years serving the local staff and clients–first, as a loan officer, bringing Opportunity to disadvantaged women, men and children; then as a loan supervisor, providing leadership to other loan officers; and then as a Relationship Manager with a great team of loan officers and supervisors. We served clients in the Ashaiman community of Ghana with life-transforming Opportunity products, and we shared their hearts because we believed…
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