News & Stories Blog
World news on the fight to alleviate poverty – follow innovations in microfinance, technology and community development that are changing lives in developing countries.
Opportunity pushes forward with early recovery efforts to protect millions of vulnerable Indians from COVID-19
India COVID-19 relief efforts: Impact update As India records more than 400,000 COVID-19 deaths, Opportunity International Australia has scaled up early recovery efforts in vulnerable hotspots. Opportunity has been supporting the poorest in India for the past 13 years, helping more than five million families work their way out of poverty through small businesses supported by small loans. We’re providing help and education about COVID-19 safety and preparedness to the most vulnerable. Tackling rampant,…
Read MoreIndonesia’s most vulnerable hit hardest by deadly COVID-19 Delta surge
The livelihoods of millions of vulnerable Indonesians are being decimated by a catastrophic COVID-19 Delta outbreak. Indonesia is dealing with more than 20,000 COVID-19 Delta cases a day. Hospitals are overwhelmed, causing mass oxygen shortages and price hikes. The influx of new cases contributes to Southeast Asia’s worst outbreak on record, which continues to devastate India and neighbouring countries. The Indonesian Government has introduced emergency measures, with lockdowns in Bali and Java.…
Read MoreWATCH: Amina's Story
A small loan helped Amina's mother break the cycle of poverty in her family. It enabled her to think about life beyond their next meal, to secure her daughters' educations, and to see a path into the future. The dreams Amina had as a child have now become reality. Watch her family's touching story below:
Read MoreThe quiet satisfaction of giving
When retired medical specialist and founding Opportunity Ambassador, Dr Ian Airey OAM, was reflecting on philanthropy and considering which causes to support, he developed a philosophy that has guided 20 years of giving. Veronika Peters: How did philanthropy start for you? Ian Airey: My mother had a view on the importance of having a charitable outlook. I think that was the foundation, and there is a gospel imperative. Philanthropy is part of what makes us human and it’s part of living a rich life.…
Read MoreGetting girls back to school
Of the children whose schooling was interrupted by COVID-19, it’s emerging that girls are among the hardest hit. Of those who haven’t returned in Pakistan, 60 per cent are girls. Last year Opportunity assessed the impact of COVID-19 on education in Pakistan. We surveyed 1,188 parents, 362 owners of non-state affordable schools and 252 teachers. “The most concerning finding was the disparity between parents’ attitude to sending girls back to school (31 per cent) compared to boys (94 per cent)…
Read MoreHolding a light to the pandemic's dark side
An immediate rise in reports of domestic violence and human trafficking since lockdowns in India has meant swift innovation in the way we protect girls and women. Early in the pandemic, the rates of gender-based violence and human trafficking shot up sharply around the world. In India, where gender-based violence was already prevalent, reports of domestic violence more than doubled in a six-month period from the start of lockdowns, according to the National Commission for Women. While lockdowns have…
Read MoreFarewell Meredith Scott from the Opportunity team
In July 2021, we farewell our Chief Executive Officer, Meredith Scott, and thank her for her immense contribution to Opportunity International Australia and families living in poverty over the past three years. Meredith Scott - a woman for others Meredith joined Opportunity in March 2018 after a long-standing career at EY. Described by staff as ‘a woman of grit, anchored in grace’ she used her decades of experience in accounting and auditing to bring new levels of accountability and governance…
Read MorePivoting in the pandemic: how small businesses are surviving
In a year that has been punishing for business owners around the world, it’s those living in poverty whose livelihoods are most affected by illness, lockdowns, travel restrictions, and forced closures. For our microfinance clients in India and Indonesia, 2021 continues to be an extraordinarily challenging year. Yet, in the face of some of the most crippling challenges of our lifetimes, stories are emerging of incredible resilience, resourcefulness, creativity and determination. Your support ensures…
Read MoreEmergency relief for India’s COVID-19 second wave
We are working to provide support in last-mile health delivery and emergency relief. The second wave of COVID-19 in India has had a horrifying impact and this, sadly, is mirrored by the stories from Opportunity’s implementing and microfinance partners. Microfinance institutions (MFIs) are largely social businesses, providing access to capital and livelihoods to a predominantly low-income female client base. Through the COVID-19 crisis, it has become apparent that there is a tremendous and underutilised…
Read MoreHow digital tools are helping entrepreneurs survive
Now, more than ever, digital technologies are helping entrepreneurs across the world overcome restrictions on face-to-face business. In places such as India and Indonesia, where COVID-19 restrictions have limited or completely shut down businesses which sell directly to customers, we’ve seen how effective digital tools can be. Whether turning from storefront to online sales, or promoting services or sales via WhatsApp, or taking orders for contactless delivery, many are keeping their businesses…
Read MoreFilters
-
Categories
- Agency
- Agriculture
- Ambassador
- Annual Review
- Bangladesh
- Banking
- Bequests
- CEO
- COVID-19
- Christmas
- Climate Change
- Corporate Supporter
- David Bussau
- Development
- Education
- Edufinance
- Entrepreneurs
- Faith
- Gender-based Violence
- Great Australian Curry
- Healing Fields Foundation
- Health
- Human Rights
- Hunger
- Impact
- India
- Indonesia
- Inequality
- International Women's Day
- Leadership
- Loans
- Meet Our Staff
- Microfinance
- Mother's Day
- My Choices
- Opportunity Magazine
- Philanthropy
- Philippines
- Poverty
- Sanitation
- Small loans
- Social Performance Management
- Supporters
- TLM
- Volunteer
- Water
- domestic violence
- gender gap
- safety
- social justice
-
Archives
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- January 2019
- September 2018
- August 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014