Stories
Opportunity International Joins Other Thought Leaders in Global Development to Discuss the Future of Philanthropy
The following guest post was written by Emily Yahr, a media consultant for Opportunity International and attendee at Thursday’s Hudson Institute panel discussion. On Thursday, May 12, representatives from research institutions, think tanks, universities, NGOs, and federal agencies took some time out of their day to attend the “Global Philanthropy: Skating to Where the Puck Is Going to Be” event at the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the event was two-fold. First, it was…
Read MoreYAO Member on Chicago Microfinance Conference & How Innovations Expand the Reach of Savings
The following guest post was written by Lauren Dillon, a co-chair of the Chicago chapter of Young Ambassadors for Opportunity (YAO) who works at Illinois-based nonprofit Oasis International. Innovation is at the heart of microfinance. It’s also the engine that propels it. Innovation is packed with chance, risk, fun, adventure! And, when coupled with microfinance, it helps bring opportunities to the people who need it most. Last week, a dozen of my fellow YAO members attended the 7th Annual Chicago…
Read MoreCongratulations to Our Tanzania Correspondent Contest Finalists!
Out of all the amazing entries we received in the last month for our Tanzania Correspondent Contest, our judges have made the tough choices and narrowed them down to our top 10. The judges chose people they thought would best use their skills to tell the stories of our Tanzanian women clients on an Insight Trip to Tanzania, and who best presented their ideas, meeting our criteria of creativity, clarity, originality and more. Now It’s Your Turn This is your chance to vote and help us pick the winners.…
Read MoreJoy in Giving: Minneapolis Women Philanthropists Share Inspirational Ways They Put their Passion Into Action
The following guest blog post was written by Cassidy Burns, an Opportunity International supporter who works for Riverbridge Partners. On Tuesday, more than 150 women gathered at the Joy in Giving event in Minneapolis, Minn. to learn and share why giving changes the world and changes you. The event was sponsored by Opportunity International, the Minneapolis Foundation and Riverbridge Partners. The evening brought together women of all ages to share inspiration and actionable ideas for making their…
Read MoreHappy New Year! Thanks For a Great 2010
At Opportunity International, we’re grateful for an exciting and productive year for our efforts to alleviate global poverty. In 2010, thanks to supporters and staff around the world, we achieved many of our goals and were able to serve even more clients working their way out of poverty. Just a few highlights from 2010: Meeting the experts and learning a lot at Opportunity’s spring and fall microfinance conferences Exciting new opportunities and grants from corporate partners like the UPS…
Read MoreNews: Community Development in Nicaragua
To combat poverty in the second poorest country in the Western hemisphere, Opportunity has implemented a community economic development initiative in Nicaragua. Our programs provide training and finance for small and medium enterprises in Granada’s most promising industries—tourism and agriculture. Opportunity is helping individuals like Silvia Elena Canda, who learned how to hand-filigree jicarogourds from her aunts when she was 11 years old. In 2006, she and 32 other women formed the Women’s…
Read MoreWhat We’re Reading: The Impact of Microfinance at Home and Abroad
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 by Eric Walcott, an intern in our Resource Development department, reflects on two recent articles he read about domestic microfinance, and the lessons…
Read MoreA Fun Way to Fight Poverty: Host a Chili Cook-Off
Allison Bearden, an Opportunity intern and chili cook-off co-host, shares how easy it is to host a small event like this at your work, school or church, raising awareness and funds to help eradicate poverty. Do you want to make a difference in the life of an individual living in poverty? Virtually anyone who wants to contribute to poverty alleviation can make an impact through hosting a small fundraising event. For example, here at Opportunity’s U.S. headquarters, our fall interns hosted…
Read MoreMeet Opportunity: Minnesota College Students Get to Know Microfinance
This fall, I spoke to a class at the University of Minnesota about Opportunity International’s work and about my involvement with Young Ambassadors for Opportunity (YAO). The students were asked to write a one-page reflection paper on the topic, which gave me a great insight into a college student’s first impressions of Opportunity. The students in this class, called Entrepreneurial Management: Launch to Maturity, were primarily upper-classmen, and most of them were double-majoring in…
Read MoreMerry Christmas from Malawi
Merry Christmas from our world family to yours. Watch the video below for a special Christmas message to Opportunity supporters from Fanny, Dorothy, Grayson, Elizabeth and Elliot inMalawi–just a few of the more than two million clients around the world whom Opportunity served this year. We wish you a peaceful Christmas season and a joyful new year.
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