About Us David Bussau & Our History

DAVID'S STORY

In 1976, self-made entrepreneur David Bussau was living in a small village called Blimbingsari in the west of Bali, Indonesia. He was rebuilding a church after the original building was destroyed in an earthquake.

Whilst living in Blimbingsari, David met Ketut and his wife Putu, who were struggling financially after their latest rice crop had failed. Motivated by his Christian faith and deep belief in the dignity of every person, David gave Ketut a loan of $50 to purchase a sewing machine for Putu so they could start a tailoring business. David recognised more than a financial need, he saw an opportunity to help a family restore their independence.

Guided by his faith, David believed that lasting change comes not from handouts, but from walking alongside people and equipping them to shape their own future. He soon began giving small loans to other people in the community, trusting in people’s capability, resilience, and desire to provide for their families.

This simple act of faith sparked a global movement of microfinance, helping people lift themselves out of poverty with dignity.

Opportunity International officially formed years later when David partnered with American entrepreneur, Al Whittaker, who was also using small loans to alleviate poverty in South America.

Since then, Opportunity International Australia has helped more than 42 million people worldwide start businesses, educate their children, learn about nutrition and health, and keep their families safe.

From the very beginning, Opportunity has been shaped by a Christian conviction that love is expressed through action. In the spirit of the Parable of the Good Samaritan, we respond to poverty not with charity, but with practical, dignified solutions that restore agency, resilience and hope.

EXPANDING TO NEW REGIONS ACROSS ASIA

Throughout the 1980s and beyond, Bussau’s early work in Indonesia led to an expansion across Asia. Opportunity International Australia opened banks and launched programs in the Philippines in 1981, eventually financing more than half a million micro and small businesses by 2005 — most of them led by women.

The early 2000s marked another major milestone as Opportunity began working in India, where there was a clear need for investment in financial inclusion. When programs first launched in 2006, an estimated 80% of India’s population lived in extreme poverty. Yet women like Hansa demonstrated what was possible with access to financial tools.

Hansa first took a small loan from Pahal in 2018 to start a business making fried snacks at home. Her snacks were a hit in her village and she was able to expand her business and open a food stall at a local market. Hansa then went on to purchase a bigger gas stave and other essentials to run her business, doubling her income — providing for her family and creating opportunity in her community.

Today, Opportunity International’s work across Asia continues to build on the legacy David set in motion more than 50 years ago. From that first loan to Ketut, to the thousands of women entrepreneurs rising in Indonesia and the Philippines, to business owners like Hansa in India, the movement David helped start has transformed millions of lives.

In 2012, our programs in India expanded again with the launch of our Health Leaders program – equipping women with small loans with training and support to teach their communities primary and preventative care. Since then, the Health program has expanded to Bangladesh, Indonesia and Nepal, with further expansion into Africa on the horizon.

As the region faces new challenges and new opportunities, our local partners remain committed to expanding financial inclusion, strengthening community‑led health initiatives, and partnering with families determined to build brighter futures.

REUNION WITH THE FIRST LOAN CLIENT

50 years on from the very first loan in Indonesia, David returned to the village of Blimbingsari in Bali, where he reunited with Ketut — who used a $50 loan that helped ignite a global movement. In the 1970s, David had arrived in the community to help after an earthquake, and led the rebuild of the village’s church.

Seeing Ketut again after so many years was emotional and full of joy. Ketut shared how that first loan changed everything: his wife Putu built a thriving sewing business, they were able to feed their family, send their children to school, and eventually expand into furniture making.

Today, their son Komang runs a workshop in Denpasar, carrying forward the business his parents built from that single sewing machine. Even through challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, the family’s resilience — and the ripple effects of that first loan — have endured.

50 years later, it's clear how this opportunity shaped Ketut’s life. The values Ketut saw in David all those years ago — determination, integrity, and a belief in people’s potential — are all qualities that have guided his own journey. They’ve also formed a genuine friendship.

There have been many stories like Ketut’s, made possible by David’s act of faith and his commitment to giving people the opportunity to build their own futures.