What CaN YOU DO tO END POVERtY?

Give the gift of opportunity

WILL YOU PaRtNER WIth Us tO CREatE hOPE fOR thE fUtURE?Opportunity International works side by side with our clients, staff and supporters to break down the barriers that exclude people from access to financial services. How? By developing and delivering savings, loan and insurance products to those who are most marginalized. These powerful financial tools address the most pressing needs of families—their livelihoods, education, health, stability and security—helping to unlock potential and equip people with the means to move beyond poverty.

Opportunity International is committed to using your contribution in the most effective way possible. Your gift will support Opportunity’s overall mission and will be used to provide financial services where they are needed most. When combined with gifts from others, your contribution is multiplied throughout the developing world, providing the greatest opportunity for people living in poverty to transform their lives.

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Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion.

(Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)

When Jemmalyn Alcantara’s father died, she prayed for

a way to help feed her family. Her prayers were

answered when she received an Opportunity

loan and opened her basketweaving business.

Use this booklet

to choose how you will make an impact. Together, we will help create opportunity for people to break free from the limitations of poverty.

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With a small Opportunity loan, Norma Vergara started a business collecting used bags, which she cleans and then sells for re-use in Henequen, Colombia.

800.793.9455 | opportunity.org/Support

CULtIVatE a LOCaL ECONOmYTrust Groups, the typical entry point for Opportunity loan clients, bring together entrepreneurs who guarantee each other’s loans and receive business, leadership and life skills training. With minimal capital, they can start or grow a business and increase income—building their self-esteem and catalyzing local commerce.

GIVE $5,000 to fund a Trust Group, including loans and weekly training for up to 25 members

sUPPORt smaLL bUsINEssEs that CREatE jObsAs clients achieve greater financial independence, they become eligible for larger, individual loans, making it possible to further expand their business and hire neighbors—driving change in their own lives and bettering the lives of other families.

GIVE $15,000 to fuel 20 growing businesses with individual loans averaging $750

Opportunity client Nuulu Nankya teaches preschoolers at Ladybird

School in Kampala, Uganda.

In Chennai, India, Sharon Sangeetha (left), assistant manager of client development, is helping these previously bonded laborers reintegrate into village life with financial tools and social support systems.

800.793.9455 | opportunity.org/Support

EqUIP a LOaN OffICER fOR LEaDERshIPAt the heart of our mission, Opportunity loan officers work directly with dozens of clients every day, serving as mentors, advocates and trainers. These dedicated employees become community leaders who are instrumental in building their local economies.

GIVE $60,000 to train a loan officer in business and leadership skills, and cover loans for 250 of her clients

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Malawian agricultural clients Rosalina and Alikanjero Banda

are proud of their flourishing fields and grateful for the

financial, business and personal support they’ve

received from Opportunity.

hELP faRmERs bUILD sUstaINabILItYTo increase food security and help smallholder farmers move from subsistence growing to cash crop production, Opportunity is expanding access to agricultural financing. Alongside our partners, we are creating a sustainable framework that includes crop-specific loans and insurance; savings accounts; technical assistance; and plot mapping—so farmers can accurately gauge seed needs and predict yield. With the support of agricultural finance officers, these tools help farmers expand their businesses and manage the seasonal nature of their incomes.

GIVE $25,000 to provide a loan and a full range of agricultural- specific financial tools for 60 farmers

tRaNsfORm a sChOOLTo increase educational opportunities for children living in poverty and strengthen the communities where they live, we help entrepreneurs build sustainable schools by offering long-term loans along with customized business training. These ambitious proprietors scale up their schools by adding classrooms, improving infrastructure and hiring qualified teachers.

GIVE $8,500 to provide a loan to a school proprietor, improving access to education for more than 250 children

6 800.793.9455 | opportunity.org/Support

bUILD a baNk bRaNChOpportunity builds satellite branches in communities where no other banks exist—without the expense of a traditional financial institution. These full-service banks counteract barriers like geographic isolation, expensive transportation and high banking fees by offering affordable and accessible savings, loan and insurance products.

GIVE $315,000 to establish a satellite branch, bringing access for over 3,000 clients for the first time

EmPOWER WOmEN tO saVEOpportunity’s banking kiosks with biometric ATMs are a low-cost, efficient method to bring savings accounts to isolated clients. Because only a fingerprint embedded in an ID card is required to access these accounts, even those who are illiterate or lack formal ID can open an account and securely deposit and withdraw funds. This gives many women personal control over their finances and a recognition they’ve never had.

GIVE $140,000 to bring a kiosk with ATM where clients can safely deposit and easily access their money

In Malawi, biometric technology allows client Mercy Chipeta to access her accounts without formal and expensive paper ID.

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In southern Uganda, this mobile bank makes weekly stops in remote farming villages, bringing clients easy access to financial tools while saving them valuable time and transportation costs.

In Lilongwe, Malawi, grocer Oliva Saizi (right) saves time and money by doing her banking through this point-of-sale device at Wananga Gausi’s neighboring shop.

bRINg a mObILE baNk tO RURaL VILLagEsMobile banks bring formal banking services to remote locations where there are no other options available. Opportunity operates mobile banks in rural Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda and Ghana—providing many thousands of families a safe, convenient place to make deposits and access other financial services.

GIVE $175,000 to purchase a new mobile bank that will serve as many as 5,000 ‘unbanked’ clients a week

ExtEND fINaNCIaL sERVICEs tO LOCaL maRkEtsOpportunity’s point-of-sale devices use cutting edge technology to broaden our reach to remote farming villages and sprawling urban markets—providing financial services at a fraction of the cost of traditional banking. Clients benefit from the security and convenience of transacting business close to their homes and businesses.

GIVE $50,000 to fund a branchless banking network of six point-of-sale devices at rural post-offices, farm supply and grocery stores, bringing access to 1,500 clients within walking distance of their home or business

Opportunity International provides access to savings, small business loans, insurance and training to over three million people working their way out of poverty in the developing world. Clients in more than 20 countries use these financial services to start or expand a business, provide for their families, create jobs for their neighbors and build a safety net for the future. Opportunity International is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and serves all people regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or gender.

2122 York Road, Ste. 150, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523800.793.9455 | opportunity.org/support

staRt a fUNDRaIsER ONLINEYou take on challenges every day. Why not tackle one that will bring you fulfillment and help families work their way out of poverty? The funds you raise will give people in need the opportunity to create change in their lives. It may even change you.

Never thought of yourself as a fundraiser? It’s easy! First choose a personalized theme. You could run a race, host an event or even celebrate your birthday. Then, use our online tool to create a webpage where your family and friends can support you by making a gift to benefit Opportunity clients.

go to opportunity.org/fundraisers and click “get started”

SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR INSPIRATION FROM OTHER CONTRIBUTORS

YOUR CHALLENGE:

Raise $5,000 to fight poverty

When Jeremy Carroll visited Colombia, he was inspired by women like Maria (pictured left), who are using Opportunity loans to build a business and provide for their families. Determined to help other women, he raised $6,315 to fund loans for an entire Trust Group.

Here and on front cover: Client Elizabeth Afrakome gets advice from her agricultural finance officer, Abena Agyakowa Nketha Sarpong, in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Elizabeth says Opportunity and Abena came to her through the grace of God—allowing her to feed her family, pay the bills and send her children to school.

© 2011 Opportunity International 447.13.1011