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.
Localisation – the key to Opportunity’s success
One of the biggest advantages Opportunity International Australia has with microfinance and overseas aid is localisation. At the heart of all the work we do, Opportunity’s partners on the ground in Asia are the reason why we are so successful in helping alleviate poverty for millions of families. Opportunity’s community-based projects are 100 per cent delivered through local partners. Local partners identify, design and implement projects, with financial support from Opportunity. Opportunity…
Read MoreBuilding nests for a brighter future
Prabha and her husband Paresh own a small business building bird nests in western India. They have a three-year-old daughter Nakshita who attends the local pre-school in the village. They live in a simple pakka house, with two rooms and a kitchen. “I was fond of birds and to pursue my interest and make a living at the same time, I started making bird nests for a bird nest manufacturer,” said Prabha. “I honed my skills while working but soon realised that the amount of Rs.200-300 (A$3.78-5.67)…
Read MoreRatna’s sweet business supporting her family
Life is tough for 40-year-old Ratna, who lives with her husband and three daughters in a village on the remote island of Rote, in eastern Indonesia. Her eldest son is at university in Kupang. Indonesia is one of our nearest neighbours, but sadly up to 62 million people live in poverty. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation. Indonesia’s poverty rates (US$3.65 per person per day) have steadily declined from 47 per cent in 2011 to 22 per cent in 2021. However, rural poverty rates remain…
Read MoreWhat gets measured, gets managed
Earlier this year, we reported on the results of a new study on client outcomes, which showed how Opportunity’s microfinance clients benefit from increased income, improved household welfare and greater resilience. This time, we’ll look at the future of this study, and how we hope this innovation in data collection and analysis will lead to improvements in our services, better outcomes across the microfinance sector and potentially a boost to the International Development agenda too. In microfinance,…
Read MoreThe Great Australian Curry returns in 2022
Close to 1 in 4 people around the world live in poverty – a reality that has only been made worse by the impact of COVID-19. Many of these people live right on our doorstep in Asia – a region that is also home to many incredible curries – from the korma curry of India to the rendang of Malaysia. This September, many of our supporters served up feasts to celebrate the vibrancy of these countries while also helping families in need during The Great Australian Curry. “Whether at home, or…
Read MorePutting digital financial inclusion in their hands
Through helping our partners and microfinance clients acccess their loan details on a digital platform, the BAVku mobile banking app is helping women in Indonesia have easy access to their finances. As life for families and entrepreneurs in Indonesia moved online in 2021, Opportunity International Australia expanded a program to address the digital readiness of our partners and develop digital strategies – enabling them to use the most appropriate technology to better meet the needs of families…
Read MoreCelebrating huge milestones in EduFinance
Recently, Opportunity’s EduFinance program celebrated the milestone of helping over 10 million children receive a quality education around the world. That’s 10 million children that would not have been able to school without the help of loan. Of those 10 million, 2,538,287 children are in Asia, supported by Opportunity International Australia. EduFinance also recently secured their 100th financial institution that have committed to invest in education through school fee loans and school improvement…
Read MoreVisiting Health Leaders in Bangladesh and India
The Opportunity International Australia Programs team visited the Health Leaders program in Indonesia in August, which is focused on program quality through monitoring, evaluation and learning plans. Our long-time partner KOMIDA, a leading microfinance organisation serving over 700,000 clients, aspires to expand this program to all of its 300 branches next year. Opportunity is looking to include two new microfinance partners in Indonesia as part of the expansion of the program. Simon Lynch (Indonesia…
Read MoreThe Great Australian Curry is back
After a two-year hiatus, Opportunity International Australia’s signature fundraising event, the Great Australian Curry, is back! This September, Opportunity invites all Australians to share a curry with friends and raise much-needed funds to help families in Asia leave poverty behind. The Great Australian Curry is all about fun, food and making an impact. Close to 1 in 4 people around the world live in poverty – a reality that has only been made worse by the impact of COVID-19. Many of these…
Read MoreStudents raising money through The Opportunity Challenge
The Opportunity Challenge is an innovative fundraising challenge aimed at school students to empower and educate them about fighting global poverty. Starting with a small loan from their parents, students are encouraged to start their own micro-business and make their money grow. With the income they earn from their business they then pay back the original loan and donate the profits to Opportunity so that together, they can help families in developing countries start their own small businesses,…
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