Opportunity International provides small business loans, savings, insurance and training to more than four million people working their way out of poverty in the developing world. Clients in over 20 countries use these financial services to start or expand a business, provide for their families, create jobs for their neighbors and build a safety net for the future.

Our Story

Opportunity was one of the first nonprofit organizations to recognize the benefits of providing small business loans as capital to those working their way out of poverty. When clients build businesses with Opportunity loans, they often set into motion monumental changes. Family incomes rise. Children are well fed and go to school. Homes are improved. Women gain status. For clients around the globe, these transformations take place every day–beginning with loans as small as $60. 

Client Margaret Nassozi sews school uniforms as well as dresses at her tailor shop just outside the school. 

Our Motivation and Methods

Opportunity International responds to Jesus Christ’s call to love and serve those in poverty by providing microfinance services, including lending, savings, insurance and transformational training, to people in need. To do this, we build and work through sustainable, local microfinance institutions. Opportunity International also builds scalable, sustainable and accessible banks throughout the developing world to provide savings, in addition to loans and other financial services, to people who have never had access. To date, Opportunity has built 13 regulated microfinance institutions, including nine banks. For Opportunity clients, savings bring stability and a means to move away from subsistence living.

The Nyamata branch of the Urwego Opportunity Bank (UOB) of Rwanda. 

Today, Opportunity has 4 million total clients and a 95% loan repayment rate.