by Jenny Dunn
When a family begins to earn an income from their business, they need somewhere safe to keep it. For many of us in the UK we would naturally use a savings account but, with no alternatives, many families living in poverty hide what little money or assets they do have under their mattress, in a hole in the ground or in livestock. Here, their hard-earned income can be stolen or destroyed – a devastating loss for a family just starting to get on their feet. Opportunity International uses innovative…
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by Brad Skeba
Parents, no matter where in the world they are from, have the same desires for their children. They want them to succeed. They want them to live a life better than their own. They want them to learn and be educated and have the skills and confidence to achieve a meaningful life. This love, this deeply entrenched desire to see their children flourish, is one of the critical intangibles that powers the success of so many of Opportunity International’s clients. It’s why they work so hard day after…
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by Opportunity International
This year, Opportunity International Global CEO Vicki Escarra spoke about our innovative, transformational work in a number of prominent news outlets, including Bloomberg and CCTV. As we remember 2014, here are two interviews that you don't want to miss: Vicki Escarra, Global CEO for Opportunity International, discussed Opportunity's goal to create 20 million jobs around the world with Bloomberg's Trish Regan on \"Street Smart.\" Vicki Escarra also spoke on CCTV regarding bridging the gap between…
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by Opportunity International
“Investing in education is one of the most decisive ways to help people work their way out of poverty,” said Vicki Escarra, Global CEO of Opportunity International. “Research has shown that education raises a student’s future economic status and can even extend life expectancy. We look forward to continuing our important partnership with Credit Suisse to expand educational opportunities for thousands of youth through access to financial services.” Today we are pleased to announce a partnership…
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by Gareth Simpson
In September 2014 I was fortunate to visit Opportunity International’s programmes in Ghana where we support 70,000 small businesses with microloans and provide savings facilities to over 375,000 Ghanaians living in poverty. The country’s rich mineral resources of gold and oil mean Ghana is officially a middle income country. But the reality is that many, many Ghanaians still live in poverty. During my visit, I saw living conditions comparable to or worse than countries with lower GDPs. The informal…
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by Opportunity International
Vicki Escarra, Global CEO of Opportunity International, has received a Committee of 200 Annual Luminary Award for Exceptional Women. Vicki was chosen as this year’s Skills to Succeed Champion for Opportunity International’s work training women to be better entrepreneurs and leaders in 22 countries where the organization is active. During an award ceremony today, Escarra expressed her deep gratitude for the award, and spoke about the need around the world for programs that help women succeed.…
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by Tom McPheron
Less than 10 days after a massive fire ripped through Lilongwe’s Tsoka Market, Opportunity Bank Malawi (OBM) presented client vendors with about $10,300 to help them rebuild their businesses and lives. While there were no reported injuries from the blaze, many of the stalls in the Tsoka Market and much of the merchandise were reduced to ashes. Each of the 160 affected OBM customers received a $63 deposit into their OBM accounts to help rebuild following the accident. “We hope to mitigate the…
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by Diane Ferguson
Every person deserves access to clean water and good health. Opportunity International seeks more than growth in number of families reached with financial services. Our deep desire is to equip our clients to achieve holistic transformation. To achieve multi-dimensional impact, we form strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations. A sample of partnerships in India includes: Opportunity and Habitat for Humanity partner to deliver home improvement loans that help families replace damaged roofs,…
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by Jenny Dunn
Opportunity International supporters came in second in the Trois Etapes, raising thousands of for those living in poverty. Well done team! The Trois Etapes gives enthusiastic riders a team cycling experience under race conditions, whilst raising money for charity. 14 charity teams took part in the event which involved some of the toughest climbs of the Tour de France, in the Pyrenees. Here’s our team with pro-rider Nicole Cooke.
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by Diane Ferguson
Remembering Tragedy Twenty years ago, from April to July 1994, genocide tore through Rwanda as ordinary citizens took up arms against their friend, family and neighbor. By early July, as many as 800,000 were brutally murdered and two million displaced - a humanitarian crisis with consequences certain to span generations. A nation heals: Opportunity in Rwanda Opportunity Rwanda opened its doors to welcome impoverished and displaced families with open arms in Kigali in 2007. Recently named a top-running…
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