Opportunity EduFinance, an affiliate of the US-based NGO Opportunity International, recently brought on seven new financial services provider (FSP) partners, with whom it plans to invest in affordable private education in India, Nigeria and Rwanda. Although the FSPs have not been identified publicly, they are expected to
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MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Opportunity International, UPS Foundation Announce “Unstoppable Women Initiative” to Expand Financial Services in Colombia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria
Two US-based NGOs, Opportunity International and the UPS Foundation, recently partnered to launch the Unstoppable Women Initiative to support female entrepreneurs in underserved communities in Colombia, India, Indonesia and Nigeria. The program includes training, business support and
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Opportunity Collaboration: OC2023; October 15-19, 2023; Miches, Dominican Republic
The purpose of this event is to enable attendees to collaborate on solutions to global poverty and injustice. The agenda is primarily attendee-led, with an “unconference” style. For example, Affinity Circles allow attendees to meet informally in groups based on their region, role or goal of interest.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Visa Foundation Donates $2m to Opportunity International to Support Microfinance, Small-business Lending to Women in Africa
US-based nonprofit microfinance network Opportunity International recently secured a grant of USD 2 million from the Visa Foundation, an affiliate of US-based payments firm Visa. The goal is to facilitate Opportunity in routing an additional USD 14 million via its affiliated financial services providers (FSPs) in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda to micro- and small businesses owned by women. The two-year grant is to fund services for: (1) business owners and farmers, such as training in financial literacy, business management and agricultural practices; and (2) partner FSPs, such as technical assistance in developing gender-oriented policies and financial incentives for serving women, such as guarantees, interest-rate buy-downs and collateral buy-downs. A collateral buy-down – where an FSP might
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Opportunity International Strengthening Financial, Training Technology in Lower-income Countries in Partnership with Krach Family Foundation, Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy
Opportunity International, a US-based NGO, recently moved to strengthen the technology it uses to provide microfinance and other services in 30 countries. The goal is to help people with low incomes “make their businesses more scalable and efficient” through better access to market information, financial education, business training and financial services. These services can take the form of smartphone apps, cloud services, digital forms of identification and others. An element of achieving these goals is to boost users’ – and potential users’ – confidence in
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Opportunity Collaboration; September 25-29, 2022; Miches, Dominican Republic
This event is dedicated to fostering relationships among social entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders and funders via “conversations for change, capacity-building clinics, mealtime salons, affinity circles and impromptu working groups.” Delegates may also present
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Oikocredit, Opportunity International Commit $100m to Education Finance in Low-income Countries
Opportunity International, a US-based nonprofit providing microfinance and other services in 30 countries, and Oikocredit, a Netherlands-based impact investor, recently announced a three-year partnership valued at USD 100 million. Through increased funding of financial institutions partnered with Opportunity International’s EduFinance program, Opportunity International and Oikocredit aim to
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “The Opportunity for Digital and E-commerce Payments in the Pacific Region,” by Chris Statham et al, Published by UNCDF
This paper explores the challenges and opportunities associated with leveraging digital payment structures, including how such structures might promote financial inclusion and improve economic conditions in the Pacific Island region. The study focuses on six of the 14 archipelagic countries in the region that are in
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “COVID-19: Crisis as an Opportunity for Urban Cash Transfers?”; by Keetie Roelen, Edward Archibald, Christina Lowe; Published by ODI
Urban areas in developing countries were especially hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic due to a range of issues including “overcrowding, poor hygiene and sanitation, and widespread informal employment.” To support urban dwellers and others, many governments across the world implemented cash-transfer programs in response to COVID-19. However, just 16 percent
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: SEAF Invests Equity in CloudCfo, Provider of Business Services to SMEs in the Philippines, via Women’s Opportunity Fund
The Small Enterprise Assistance Fund (SEAF), a US-based “impact investing” fund manager, recently announced its disbursement of an undisclosed amount of capital to Philippines-based startup CloudCfo. The firm will use the proceeds to boost its growth across its online accounting, bookkeeping and
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Opportunity Collaboration; October 13-18, 2019; Cancun, Mexico
This is the 10th annual iteration of this networking event, which is dedicated to fostering relationships among social entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders and funders. The proceedings include
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Global Youth Economic Opportunities Summit: “The Opportunity Puzzle: Piecing It Together to Help Youth Learn, Earn and Thrive;” October 1 – 4, 2019; Washington, DC, USA
The thirteenth annual iteration of the Global Youth Economic Opportunities (YEO) Summit will focus on
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Opportunity Collaboration; October 14 – 19, 2018; Cancun, Mexico
Event Summary: The purpose of this event is to provide networking and problem-solving opportunities for those “dedicated to building sustainable solutions to poverty and injustice.” Most sessions are categorized as Conversations for Change, Capacity-Building Clinics or mealtime “Cluster-Forks.”
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Opportunity International EduFinance, FINCA Microfinance Bank Nigeria to Offer Education Loans to Students’ Families, Schools
FINCA Microfinance Bank Nigeria, an affiliate of the US-based Foundation for International Community Assistance (FINCA International), recently partnered with Opportunity International (OI) EduFinance to lend money for
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: IFC Lends $7m to Opportunity Bank Serbia (OBS) to Support Rural Farmers, MSEs
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, recently lent USD 7 million to Opportunity Bank Serbia (OBS) for on-lending to farmers as well as micro- and small enterprises with the intent of helping
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Targeting Rural MSEs, EFSE Lends Local-currency Equivalent of $6m to Opportunity Bank Serbia
The European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE), a Luxembourg-based microfinance investment vehicle, recently announced it will loan RSD 615 million (USD 6 million) to Opportunity Bank Serbia (OBS), a branch of US-based microfinance network Opportunity International, “to support small businesses, especially in rural areas.”
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: First Merchant Bank Acquiring Opportunity International Bank of Malawi to Boost Microfinance Services
First Merchant Bank, a Malawi-based financial institution, recently announced it will pay an undisclosed price to acquire Opportunity International Bank of Malawi (OIBM), a microbank affiliated with US-based NGO Opportunity International.
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Opportunity Collaboration; October 15-20, 2017; Ixtapa, Mexico
Event Name: Opportunity Collaboration
Event Date: October 15 – October 20, 2017
Event Location: Club Med Ixtapa Pacific, Ixtapa, Mexico
Summary: This networking and problem-solving event is for people who are “dedicated to building sustainable solutions to poverty.” It includes