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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.

Health program improving lives in Bangladesh

by Opportunity International Australia

The Health Leader program in Bangladesh is providing life-saving health education to women and their families in rural parts of the country where access to healthcare is limited. Many women are benefiting from receiving basic knowledge about sanitation, women’s health, menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth. Here are some of the stories of the women in Bangladesh whose lives are being transformed thanks to participation in the Health Leader program. Ansara Health Leader Bithy (left) educating young…

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Hope in the midst of poverty

by Scott Walters

Most of the field visits I have taken so far in India have been spent in rural areas where almost 90 per cent of people who live below the poverty line reside. However, being confronted with urban poverty on this recent trip stopped me in my tracks. It’s easy to assume that everyone’s okay in a big city. There’s infrastructure, there’s public transport, a seat of government, but what I saw in Delhi was often hidden. It was urban poverty, which was no less confronting and challenging than…

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Small loans help Aplonia get through hard times

by Opportunity International Australia

Aplonia, aged in her late 50s, lives in Kupang, Indonesia. She is married to Stefanus and they have six children. Life is difficult for most people in Kupang, but for Aplonia and her family, it has been particularly tough. Stefanus had a stroke a few years ago, and although he did recover, he is unable to work. The long-lasting effects of the stroke on his health are difficult to manage, so Aplonia became the sole breadwinner in the family. She took out a loan with one of Opportunity International…

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Neighbours journeying out of poverty

by Opportunity International Australia

Manti, a mother of six girls, is one of the millions of women Opportunity supports with a small loan. Manti and her family live in Bihar, the third most populous state in India, where more than a third of the population live below the poverty line.  According to UNICEF, children in Bihar face many challenges owing to widespread poverty, deep-rooted socio-cultural and gender inequalities, caste divisions, poor infrastructure, lack of basic services and recurring natural disasters.  Manti’s family…

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Opportunity supporters fundraise for an inspired trek

by Opportunity International Australia

Opportunity International Australia has partnered with Inspired Adventures, Australia’s leading adventure fundraising agency, to take supporters on a trip of a lifetime, trekking at the foot of the Himalayas in northern India, all whilst raising critical funds for women and families experiencing poverty. The trip, from 25 October – 3 November 2023, involves travelling from Kolkata to Varanasi, taking in the breathtaking views of the Eastern Himalayas along the way. At the end of the trek, participants…

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New Chair for Opportunity International Australia

by Opportunity International Australia

Opportunity International Australia’s CEO, Scott Walters, has welcomed the appointment of a new Chair, Walter Lewin, who has extensive experience in investments, funds management, finance and company directorships in Australia and internationally. Mr Lewin is Chair of OneVentures, a leading Australian venture and growth capital firm focusing on technology and healthcare investments. Previously he was Managing Director of Merrill Lynch based in London and held senior roles at SBC Warburg (now UBS).…

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End Poverty. Period.

by Opportunity International Australia

Ending period poverty through health education in developing countries With schools in every state in Australia now providing free pads and tampons in school bathrooms, a major push to provide paid period leave, and some local companies introducing menstrual policies, we are making real progress here in Australia on tackling taboos around menstruation and addressing period poverty. But for those who menstruate in low- and middle-income countries in our region, there is still significant stigma surrounding…

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Helping mothers like Manti put food on the table

by Opportunity International Australia

Many families living in poverty have no access to financial services, including a bank account or the option of applying for a bank loan. Our microfinance partners offer small loans to families who can’t access financial services. Often these families live in remote and rural communities. Manti, a mother of six girls in rural India, is one of the millions of women Opportunity supports with a small loan. Manti and her family struggle to make ends meet. Her husband is a labourer, but his earnings…

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Introducing our Annual Review 2022

by Opportunity International Australia

The Opportunity International Australia 2022 Annual Review has just been published and, as well as showcasing our work throughout 2022, it also highlights the work of our clients, partners and supporters. In 2022, Opportunity and our partners in Asia set about rebuilding after COVID-19 lockdowns and the resulting widespread economic impacts. In the same year, the World Bank adjusted the poverty line for lower and middle-income countries, including India and Indonesia, to US$3.65 a day, up from US$3.20…

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Promoting health for all through female-led community programs

by Opportunity International Australia

The World Health Organization observes World Health Day annually on 7 April, and in 2023, celebrates 75 years of improving public health. It’s an important day to recognise global actions to tackle the health challenges of today – and tomorrow. Last year through Opportunity’s locally-led community health programs, 1,042 Health Leaders and 200 Health Entrepreneurs were trained bringing primary health services to close to one million people – including some of the most vulnerable and hard to…

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