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

Telephone: 1800 812 164

© 2025 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.

Enhancing education in Pakistan

by Opportunity International Australia

Pakistan faces some of the world's most pressing educational challenges. With nearly 23 million children aged 5 to 16 out of school - 44 per cent of the total population in this age group - the need for a transformation in education is clear. Barriers to education in Pakistan, particularly for girls, are significant, ranging from poverty and cultural norms to a lack of infrastructure and qualified teachers. This has created an urgent need for innovative solutions to provide quality education…

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Disability is no barrier for Hafzarun

by Opportunity International Australia

Living in a village in northern Bangladesh, Hafzarun works as a Health Leader, delivering health education to improve the health and wellbeing of local families, as part of Opportunity's global health program. Born with a visual impairment due to a damaged right eye, along with permanent burn damage to her hand, Hafzarun has never allowed her disability to limit her passion for learning or her determination to help others in her community. Hafzarun began working with Opportunity International Australia's…

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Welmince weaving her way to success

by Opportunity International Australia

Mother of five, Welmince, from Soe in West Timor, Indonesia, has built a successful weaving business with the help of a small loan. She first started with a loan of A$200 from one of Opportunity International Australia's local microfinance partners to buy materials and increase her productivity. Year by year, her business grew, and she received additional loans. These increased loans have had a significant impact on Welmince's business and brought a brighter future for her whole family. \"In the…

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Trekking on the India and Nepal border to end poverty

by Opportunity International Australia

Three days trekking in the Himalayas. Two days in Varanasi meeting inspiring women building businesses to improve their livelihoods. Seven unforgettable days in India. For the second year in a row, the Trek for Opportunity in 2024 was a success with five passionate Opportunity International Australia supporters travelling to India for a life-changing experience, all while raising much-needed funds for families living in poverty.  An adventure and fundraising challenge, all in one The Trek for Opportunity…

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Working together to create a Safer World For All

by Opportunity International Australia

Two decades of progress fighting infectious diseases, empowering women and girls and building education and economic prosperity stalled when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020.  In the years following, threats to our world have been intensifying – dangerous weather, increased wars and soaring inequality are regular features of our news cycle. If we do nothing, today’s challenges will become tomorrow’s catastrophes. Decisions made by this generation can put the world back on track. This is best…

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Supporting people with disabilities to lead their own development

by Opportunity International Australia

On 3 December, the world celebrates International Day of Persons with Disability – a day to highlight the contributions of people with disabilities, while also recognising the barriers they face around the world. The theme of 2024 is ‘amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities of an inclusive and sustainable future’. In order to improve financial inclusion for people with disabilities, it’s important to promote participation, representation and inclusion at all levels, to help…

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WATCH: TransformHER - Connecting passion and purpose

by Opportunity International Australia

At our online TransformHER event on 20 November, Head of Marketing and Communications, Nicole Clements, discussed all things purpose and passion with Alana Nicholls, CEO of Pro Purpose. With a mini masterclass about embedding generosity into your business goals and adding social impact into your everyday, the conversation was all about profit and purpose connecting and creating impact. Also joining the online conversation was Thea Chadban-Smith, Founder of Joyful Finance, a small business partnered…

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Building more climate resilient communities

by Opportunity International Australia

Climate change and poverty are closely interlinked. To protect livelihoods, and build more resilient communities, Opportunity International Australia is working with our health and microfinance partners to understand how climate change is impacting the communities we serve and developing products and programs to meet those needs. The growing challenge of climate Climate change threatens to exacerbate poverty and inequality globally. Women and people with disabilities are disproportionately affected…

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Putting an end to period poverty

by Opportunity International Australia

Rags. Sawdust. Leaves. Grass and paper. These are not items most of us would immediately associate with a woman’s menstrual cycle. In some areas of countries such as India and Bangladesh, those are the makeshift items many women and girls are using to manage their period every month. With menstruation starting on average at 12 years old and lasting until around 51, that is a likely 39 years or 468 months of a woman’s life using items that can cause infection every month. Period poverty refers…

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Deepening our work in disability inclusion

by Opportunity International Australia

As Opportunity International Australia strengthens its commitment to supporting more women from marginalised communities globally, we are excited to announce the appointment of Fifi Rashando to the Executive Committee of the Australian Disability and Development Consortium (ADDC). Fifi re-joined Opportunity in August 2024 as the GEDSI (Gender Equity Disability & Social Inclusion) and Safeguarding Manager and works closely with our Programs team and local partners to strengthen our work in financial…

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