Stories
How to Make a Real Impact? Opportunity’s Partnership Model
Something that attracted me to Opportunity International, and that has kept me here for eight years, is that we work in partnership with our clients to build sustainable financial infrastructure in the community. Our services are nothing without the hard work, ingenuity, community and integrity of the individuals with whom we partner. For more than 40 years, our clients have turned to us for the tools they need to develop their capacity to the fullest—an array of financial products reinforced by…
Read MoreWhat We’re Reading: Our Incoming CEO Vicki Escarra in The Non-Profit Times's Power & Influence Top 50
What are we reading? This exciting list, of course! Our incoming CEO, Vicki Escarra, as president and CEO of Feeding America, built that nonprofit into a $1.2 billion organization during a time when more Americans than ever were suffering from hunger and food insecurity. In honor of her outstanding work, she’s been named one of The Non-Profit Times‘s Power & Influence Top 50 of 2012, alongside the likes of Bill Gates; the CEOs of United Way, Do Something, Girl Scouts of America, American Cancer…
Read MoreWhat We’re Pinning: Our Top Picks This Week on Pinterest
Everybody on Pinterest has their favorite pins—ones that make you stop and think, move you to take action, or just make you smile. So each week we’re going to share our top picks with you. If they’re some of your favorites too, repin them and share with your friends! A good reminder. Beautiful Colombia! A rainshower over El Aguacate mountains. From World Vision–an all-girls karate class in Cairo with Hope Village Society, an NGO partner of UNICEF that aids Egyptian street children. Gandhi’s…
Read MoreMourning the Sudden Death of Ghana’s President, John Atta Mills
Ghanaian president John Atta Mills died unexpectedly of a sudden illness on Tuesday at the age of 68. As the Ghanaian people mourn the death of the law professor-turned-leader who they affectionately called “The Prof,” global media is taking note of the smooth transition of the country during this difficult time. The BBC and other news outlets report that the swift and smooth swearing-in of the vice president, John Dramani Mahama, highlights how far Ghana has gone on the road to democracy. It’s…
Read MoreCredit Suisse’s Microfinance Work Recognized at the Financial Times/IFC Sustainable Finance Awards
Opportunity would like to offer our congratulations to our partner Credit Suisse. They were awarded a special commendation for their microfinance program in the Sustainable Global Bank of the Year category at the Financial Times/International Finance Corporation Sustainable Finance Awards. The annual FT/IFC Sustainable Finance Awards, now in their seventh year, are the major global awards for environmentally- and socially-responsible banking and investment. The 2012 awards were presented on June…
Read MoreWhat We’re Reading: The World Bank’s Africa Can…End Poverty Blog
The World Bank’s blogs cover a wide range of global economic issues. One blog titled Africa Can… End Poverty is run by Shanta Devarajan who is the Chief Economist for Africa at The World Bank. As Opportunity International continues to expand its work in Africa, including agricultural finance, mobile banking, and financial literacy training, I have highlighted three blog posts that speak to our mission and methods. 1. “Cassava As an Income-Earning Crop for Small Farmers” This post emphasizes…
Read MoreOpportunity’s Olympic Champions
I love the Olympics. I come from an athletic family and growing up, our family ban on TV was always lifted for two events: the Olympics and the Tour de France. I love watching people push their bodies to the limit as they perform feats that I know are close to impossible, but that with all their grace and agility look so easy. I love the athletes’ background stories narrated by the iconic NBC host Bob Costas—often featuring someone who managed to persevere through tough times and finally see…
Read MoreProgram Update: Opportunity Mozambique is Cultivating Hope among Smallholder Farmers
Opportunity International is helping smallholder farmers achieve optimum output to put more food on the family table and increase food security in their communities. We’re committed to helping farmers in sub-Saharan Africa transition from subsistence to economically- and commercially-active farming. Through an innovative and sustainable approach to agricultural finance, Opportunity provides products and services designed to achieve financial sustainability. These efforts ensure an ongoing contribution…
Read MoreCEO Announcement Letter from Betty Jane Hess
Betty Jane Hess, is chair of Opportunity’s Board of Directors, and is welcoming our incoming CEO Vicki Escarra. Dear Friends, I am pleased to announce that Opportunity International has completed its executive search, and I am delighted to introduce you to our new CEO, Vicki Escarra. Vicki is an exceptional leader, bringing to Opportunity International her expertise in people and financial management, resource development, marketing and execution of business strategies. As president and CEO…
Read MoreHow to Change Moms’ Lives with Pinterest
To celebrate Mother’s Day last May, we created the Global Opportunity Quilt, a tool that let donors honor women they love with gifts that change the lives of women on the other side of the world. Donors chose from 24 inspirational patches with quotes and images about motherhood, and with a gift of anywhere from $5-$500, they could write custom tributes and added their patches to the Quilt. Then they shared the patches directly with the women they honored and on social media, especially Pinterest…
Read More