by Opportunity International
The theme of this year's International Women's Day is #AccelerateAction and this year, we celebrate the incredible women leaders at Opportunity International. From CEOs and Directors to those spearheading our refugee initiatives, we are fortunate to have bold, intelligent, and empathetic women guiding our organisation. Meet Tamsin, Head of Refugee Finance Tamsin has led our refugee strategy since we began our work with refugees in Uganda in 2018. As Head of Refugee Finance, she provides leadership…
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by Opportunity International
The theme of this year's International Women's Day is #AccelerateAction and this year, we celebrate the incredible women leaders at Opportunity International. From CEOs and Directors to those spearheading our refugee initiatives, we are fortunate to have bold, intelligent, and empathetic women guiding our organisation. Sally (left, seated in purple trousers) joins a training group for women in Malawi. Meet Sally, Executive Director of Opportunity International Global. After leading OIUK's…
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by Opportunity International
The theme of this year's International Women's Day is #AccelerateAction and this year, we celebrate the incredible women leaders at Opportunity International. From CEOs and Directors to those spearheading our refugee initiatives, we are fortunate to have bold, intelligent, and empathetic women guiding our organisation. Nana (left) in Ghana celebrating the launch of our Youth Apprenticeship Programme. Meet Nana Francois, CEO of Opportunity Microfinance Investments Ltd (OMIL) Nana is the CEO of Opportunity…
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by Opportunity International
Opportunity International UK have issued the following response to UK overseas aid budget cuts: We are hugely concerned at the recent cuts to the UK government aid budget. At a time when the needs of our disadvantaged and marginalised global neighbours are greatest, overseas aid should be prioritised. Denying them the opportunity to thrive and achieve a life free from poverty goes against the UK’s history of concern and compassion. At Opportunity, we have seen first-hand the incredible impact…
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by Angela Kingston, Consultant to Opportunity International.
In 2023 we shared the story of Dorka, a smallholder farmer from Mulanje district in Southern Malawi whose harvest, and thus the return on all her hard work and investment, was wiped out by Cyclone Freddy. On a recent visit to Malawi, I was able to reconnect with Dorka. I saw for myself how, with the support of funders like Jersey Overseas Aid, Opportunity International is helping poor farming households, like hers, restore hope and build resilience to economic and climate-related shocks. Dorka…
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by Opportunity International
Opportunity International’s mission is to transform lives and end intergenerational poverty. To meet this mission, we will increasingly require a focus on developing multiple income streams including growing fundraising, institutional funding, partnership working, and impact investing. As we come towards the end of our current strategy, we have considered how we can best manage our organisation to realise this ambition, and will make the following changes to our leadership from 1 February 2025:…
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by Opportunity International
In the village of Ndodo in Malawi, farmers gather in the shade of an acacia tree as a smartphone tells them how to get rid of a weevil that’s destroying their sweet potato crops. These tips are offered by our app, Ulangizi — which translates as “Advice”. The app is part of a pilot we are running that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to provide quick and effective advice to farmers living in some of the most remote and poorest communities. The app is in the local Chichewa language…
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by Mussa Uwitonze, Rwandan photographer
Mussa: The Storyteller Rwandan photographer Mussa embarked on an important assignment for Opportunity International’s \"Inclusive Finance for Agricultural Value Chains in Rwanda\" project. Tasked with documenting the resilience and innovation of smallholder farmers, Mussa focused on how financial support is transforming the lives of women, youth, and people with disabilities. Growing up in an orphanage himself, Mussa’s journey from a beneficiary to a visual storyteller adds a personal layer…
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by Opportunity International
Known as the ‘land of a thousand hills’, Rwanda is a rich and beautiful landscape. Yet despite the land’s potential, it is still one of the poorest countries in the world. Half of the population live on less than $2.15 a day, struggling to feed their family regular meals and send their children to school. Over 70% of the population in Rwanda rely on agriculture for their livelihood, and they face significant challenges. Land availability is scarce, with most smallholder farmers cultivating…
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by Opportunity International
Deborah Foy has been a committed Opportunity International staff member for over 22 years. She has worked across numerous countries, continents and teams. After two decades of service, Deborah is moving on to start a new chapter, so we caught up with her to discuss her time with Opportunity, from starting as an intern in 2002 with the UK Office, to her current role as Executive Director to the Global Board. What first attracted you to Opportunity International and kept you here for so long?…
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