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PO Box A524
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.

Going H20nly

by Stephanie Semler

This September I’m doing it tough. No coffee. No tea. No juice. No alcohol. No soft drink. In fact, no drinks but water. And none of that fancy sparkling water, just plain and simple tap water. Don’t worry, it’s not a new diet fad or fitness program! I’m challenging myself to go without drinks to raise awareness of the radically different conditions people across the world live in, and to raise money to train health leaders in India so that these conditions can be improved. For me, giving…

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An exciting transformation

by Robert Dunn

When you give, exciting transformations take place in the lives of families living in poverty. This transformation is reflected in our new global look and website. It’s colourful and vibrant and celebrates the diverse families and cultures we serve. Our colour palette takes inspiration from their bright clothes, their painted homes and the beautiful products they create in their businesses – started with small loans, thanks to you. In our new logo, the figure in teal represents the mothers you’re…

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Hope, confidence and aspiration

by Benjamin Freeman

A small loan can help build hope, confidence and aspiration in the lives of families in need. Neeta, Milagros and Rajkumari are mothers who have gained the opportunity to start their own business and create a better life for themselves through your support. Here’s what they have to say about the impact small loans have had in their lives… “I am so grateful for the money loaned to my business. I use this money to increase my working capital, so that my business can grow more…I am so grateful…

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Not a square meal

by Benjamin Freeman

One in eight people around the world suffer from chronic hunger. This means that they’ve struggled for more than one year without enough food to eat. They may only be able to eat one small bowl of grains a day and, sometimes, parents may have to skip meals to feed their children instead. Carmelita is a mother-of-three from the Philippines. She knows what it’s like to go hungry and not be able to feed your children – she has lived through days where she had no idea where their next meal would…

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Can some pancakes really help build healthy communities?

by Benjamin Freeman

Yes! Food for Thought is back again this September and this year you can raise money to help build healthy communities in India. All you’ve got to do is have some friends over for a meal or complete a personal food-related challenge! In India, preventable illnesses such as diarrhoea can be deadly. For almost one in two people, open defecation is an everyday reality, leading to pollution and the spread of disease. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable – without the availability of sanitary…

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Community Spotlight: Life in Maulafa

by Opportunity International Australia

Here’s a spotlight on one of the communities where your support can make a real difference. Maulafa is made up of nine villages, just 10 kilometres from the city of Kupang in Indonesia, with a population of just over 70,000 people. For the wealthier families in the region, houses are made of brick walls and zinc roofs. For other families, houses are constructed of palm branch walls while reeds make up the roofs. A typical meal in Maulafa for mothers like Norlina (pictured) is fish with some vegetables…

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Community Spotlight: Life in Sapang Buho

by Opportunity International Australia

Here’s a spotlight on one of the communities where your support can make a real difference. Sapang Buho is a small community of just over 3,300 people, located on the banks of the Pampanga River in the province of Nueva Ecija, the Philippines. The majority of families in the community rely on agriculture – mostly vegetable and rice production – and trading kiosks to earn an income. Small loans are helping mothers like Yvonne (pictured) build their own small businesses and work towards a secure…

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Building brick by brick

by Benjamin Freeman

Mary Ann (pictured) is a mother from the Philippines whose home was completely washed away by Typhoon Haiyan in November last year. In the months that followed the devastation, she lived with her family in a makeshift shelter – put together from the debris of their old house. The home was about the size of a garden shed and the roof couldn’t protect them. When it rained, Mary Ann’s family would get soaked, leaving them cold and often sick. Mary Ann was one of the first people to receive a housing…

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Community Spotlight: Life in Shiv Vihar

by Opportunity International Australia

Here’s a spotlight on one of the communities where your support can make a real difference. Shiv Vihar is a community of about 40,000 people in Delhi in India. An average household is made up of five or six people who live together in small homes. The most common businesses in the area are food stalls, just like Babita (pictured) runs. For mothers like her, a small business means a regular income, helping them put food on the table and send their children to school. If you lived in Shiv Vihar,…

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Rebuilding After Typhoon Haiyan

by Benjamin Freeman

More than six months on from Typhoon Haiyan, families in the Philippines are still trying to rebuild their lives. Of the 14 million people affected, more than 67,000 were Opportunity clients – families who have had their homes and livelihoods completely washed away. Seven out of 10 do not have a permanent shelter to live in. As monsoon season approaches, thousands of families need to find somewhere to live. Without shelter, they will be in life-threatening danger from the heavy winds and rain.…

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