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Sydney South NSW 1235, Level 11, 227 Elizabeth Street Sydney NSW 2000

Telephone: 1800 812 164

© 2024 Opportunity International AustraliaABN 83 003 805 043

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.

Weapons And Enchantment In India

by Benjamin Freeman

Enchanting isn’t a word I reach for too often, but I feel it is fair to say that the last few weeks in India were an enchanting experience. The energy of the country (in particular Delhi) and its vibrancy is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. Everything seems heightened and this was definitely true of the stories I heard. When there’s a particularly dramatic story of transformation, I always find myself somewhat stuck emotionally. There’s horror at what’s happened but there’s also a…

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UN Global Goals Leave No One Behind

by Robert Dunn

17 goals. 169 targets. Last Friday, the 193 United Nations (UN) member states adopted the much-anticipated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It looks like a lot, but these goals are not like their predecessor, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – 8 goals that applied solely to developing countries with the support of wealthier nations. Also known as the Global Goals, the SDGs are the responsibility of every nation – whether developing or developed – to “end poverty, protect the planet…

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Host a toddler tea party, they said. It will be fun, they said...

by Daniel Belzer

The stage was set for an outdoor tea party for toddlers last Saturday morning to raise funds for families in poverty through Food for Thought. Instead we woke up to pouring rain and tantrum number one for the day. They say you can’t rely on the weather but I was in denial so we pressed on preparing the food – the scent of fresh coffee and cupcakes filling the air as the sun came out. Guests were due to arrive in an hour and all was right with the world. Then it poured, again. So naturally we…

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Waiting On Water

by Benjamin Freeman

One of the biggest struggles for me on this trip so far has been adjusting to life without easily accessible, clean water. This means that I have to prepare myself with at least three water bottles before we start each day. That might sound a little excessive. But after experiencing a few interviews where there were five or six of us in a tiny, unventilated room at about 40 degrees, I realised how important it is to have water on hand. Yet despite this realisation, I still forget the water from time…

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Hot Off The Press: Insight Newsletter

by Stephanie Hristovska

There’s a lot of food for thought in the latest issue of Insight – in more ways than one! Read about how Opportunity programs in China are growing businesses, creating jobs and transforming lives, helping stop people living in poverty in rural areas from being left behind. Get the low-down on Food for Thought, Opportunity’s annual fundraising campaign. By sharing a meal with your friends or family during September or October and encouraging them to donate to show their support, you can help…

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A Visit To The Slum

by Benjamin Freeman

Last Friday I visited one of the largest slums in Manila with Mark Daniels, Opportunity’s Philippines Director. In my time in the Philippines so far I’ve met mainly with families in regional areas in their homes. Though they’re located in very poor areas, these homes have generally been quite beautiful in their simplicity – lots of bamboo huts on acres of green farmland. The slum was a different experience entirely. For me, slums have always been pretty hard to visualise, no matter how much…

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The Importance Of Being Kindness

by Benjamin Freeman

Earlier this year I watched a graduation speech given by an author I like, George Saunders. Typically I’m not one for these kinds of inspirational messages but I thought I would give it a go. In the speech, George talks to a bunch of graduates from an elite college in America about the importance of kindness. The following quote has stuck with me: What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness. Those moments when another human being was there, in front of me, suffering, and I responded…

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Food For Thought: Dinner with Dina

by Opportunity International Australia

It all started with a dream to start a sweets and pastry business back in 1989. Dina Lava, a mother-of-four from the Philippines, used to go knocking on office doors armed with baskets of pastries to sell in order to earn an income for her family. A small loan of Php.10,000 (A$301) enabled Dina to buy her own second-hand oven as well as dinnerware and kitchenware to expand her business. After years of hard work, Dina now owns a successful catering company and function centre. She even distributes…

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First Day Jitters

by Benjamin Freeman

Last Sunday I travelled about four hours from Manila to Cabanatuan City in the Philippines. Monday would be my first day meeting with families that have used small loans. I made several mistakes before walking out the door on Monday morning, the most notable of which was forgetting to put on insect repellent. There’s a typhoon here at the moment, which means that the rain is pretty consistent. I also forgot an umbrella and a pen. These mistakes plagued me quite a bit on the journey to the first…

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People Before Programs

by Stephanie Hristovska

There’s a saying I often hear in church or in organisations with social missions, “People before programs.” The idea is simple but profound: programs for the sake of programs are ineffective if they don’t meet the needs of the people involved in them. The people Opportunity works with are most often best placed to know what they need to transform their lives, their families and their communities. So it makes sense that, as an organisation with a social mission, Opportunity wants to give their…

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