The vision of Universal Health Coverage is that all people can obtain the quality health services they need without suffering financial hardship. Financial inclusion and private sector investment can bring that vision to life."
Annie Wang, Head of Global Health at Opportunity International
When you empower individuals with knowledge and improve access to healthcare, entire communities thrive.
Combining health training, community-based care and finance, we partner with women to keep their families healthy.
HOW WE HELP
Our goal is to improve the overall health of communities living in poverty and prevent illness and catastrophic health spending through through education, finance and access to better health services.
Opportunity’s health program aims to serve entire communities – particularly women and their families – by empowering community leaders in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Nepal – with plans to expand to the Philippines and Africa.
The result: improved health for the community, a reliable source of income for health leaders, and options around health care for rural and remote areas outside of urban centres.
Opportunity's unique solution
Empowering Health Leaders – training women to deliver health education and provide health services and products, including telehealth, to improve health and resilience in their communities and improve their income.
Train Health Entrepreneurs – providing holistic, end-to-end support to improve the products and care provided by community pharmacies, often the first point of contact for families when experiencing health issues or requiring primary healthcare.
Developing health finance solutions – supporting financial institutions to fund health entrepreneurs and develop innovative products for people living in poverty to prevent and manage catastrophic health expenses.
How a Health Leader improves her community
A small loan gives a woman the opportunity to start a small business and improve the lives of her family with increased income.
Health Leader training is offered in the community and the Health Leader signs up to attend six months of training in essential healthcare and sanitation.
The Health Leader maps needs within her community during her training allowing her to more fully understand the community's health issues and solutions.
Families are reached in the local community, and community health improves as essential health and hygiene knowledge is shared and sanitation practices are improved.
90%
of essential health services that people need is primary care – from healthcare providers who work in the community
1 in 2
child deaths globally are linked to child and maternal malnutrition
18 million
health worker shortfall is expected in low income countries by 2030, deepening inequality inaccess to healthcare
In 2023, we reached
926,695 families
through our health programs in India, Indonesia and Bangladesh.
LABONI'S STORY
Small steps make big difference to family’s health
Laboni is a mother from Bangladesh and her husband, a migrant worker, works away from home for long periods of time. During her first pregnancy she was unaware of the need for regular check-ups. She continued her domestic duties and didn’t eat nutritious food. She became anaemic, experienced stomach aches and weakness throughout the pregnancy and the birth of her daughter Nafia was challenging.
Laboni first met Health Leader Ujala during her second pregnancy, when she conducted community health training in her local village. Laboni attended the training as she was eager to keep herself and her unborn child healthy.
“I am very thankful to BURO (Opportunity’s local partner), for taking such a good initiative to improve rural life and people like me,” Laboni said. “Now I know how small steps can save a person or a family from facing big danger.”
This project is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).
