Opportunity International Australia Blog

Seven years ago, Zenaida and her family were living in extreme poverty. Their home was made up of a pig pen, old boxes and used sacks. Food consisted of no more than a single meal of rice per day. Living in a dire state, Zenaida decided to take out a small loan with Opportunity International Australia’s partner in the Philippines, ASKI, to start a pig raising business. The business has enabled her to earn an income that provides enough money for her family to improve their quality of life.

Sometimes in our work we’re asked if what we do can really change anything when there is so much need out there. There’s so much poverty in the world – why bother? Can anything we do really make a difference?

Perhaps the only answer to that question is this: it makes a difference to the one. It made a difference to Melba from the Philippines, who is pictured on this year’s cover with her five-year-old daughter Renalyn. A small loan has enabled Melba to start a cooking business, and the income she is earning means that Renalyn is now in school.

To read Opportunity International Australia’s 2011 Annual Review, please click here.

Currently in its pilot phase, the multimedia project is using a range of different technologies to engage and educate clients – short videos in a ‘game show’ format will be supported by materials such as comic strips, posters and stickers. Topics include financial products, the importance of savings, wise management of credit, financial planning and negotiations.

To make the content fun and engaging for its Filipino audience, the humorous character ‘Eddie’ was created as host for the videos and will also be displayed as a cartoon character on the promotional and support material – ‘Eddie, Get Set & Go’!

In order to judge how effective the program and multimedia tools are, Opportunity is using mobile phones to conduct a short survey which is taken by those involved in the pilot program. By evaluating the pilot project, we can ensure that future adaptations and adjustments will bring improvements to offer clients the most effective tool possible to help them and their families improve their finances.

The pilot phase aims to reach 18,000 low-income individuals and impact more than 90,000 people throughout the Philippines (including family members).

Opportunity has been providing microfinance and support services to developing countries for more than 40 years and currently serves more than 1.1 million people in the Philippines. Today, 45% of the Filipino population lives on less than $2 a day. This is an unacceptable rate - there has never been a better time to act.

With your support, Opportunity International Australia can reach out to even more people with microfinance and support services – like financial literacy training. You can make a donation online by clicking here.

Tomorrow all around the country, Australian’s will be celebrating all things great about Australian history, culture and development. While this national celebration is a great time for summer fun, Opportunity International Australia would like to honour those passionate and dedicated Australians who are living and working abroad in support of a greater cause. Many of these people work hard in often difficult places, separated from their friends and family to make the world a better place.

AusAID, the Australian Agency for International Development, has recently developed a television series called ‘Changing Lives’, paying testament to the work of dedicated Australians doing extraordinary jobs around the world. One episode features Mark Daniels, Opportunity’s East Asia Director (watch video below). Mark and his family moved to the Philippines more than two years ago to support Opportunity’s microfinance programs in the Philippines.

This Australia Day we would also like to acknowledge another staff member – Chris Murdoch, Opportunity’s Strategic Services Director, who relocated to Hyderbad, India with his family two years ago. Chris’s work in the area is incredibly valuable as he investigates a range of community development initiatives to support local communities.

A big thank you to all our staff working abroad this Australia Day (and those supporters, staff and volunteers working locally) and another thank you to AusAID for their continued support and the inspiring ‘Changing Lives’ series that encapsulates the incredible lives of Australians working overseas.

Happy Australia Day!

At present, the tropical storm Washi, locally known as Sendong, has killed more than 1,250 people, when rivers overflowed and inundated coastal cities in mid December.

The focus is now on managing disease outbreaks, as reports suggest that at least 171 people are being treated for leptospirosis (an infection transmitted by contaminated water). Close to 8,000 families are temporarily living inside cramped evacuation centres with poor sanitation.

Opportunity International Australia has set up a relief fund in support of the Mindanao crisis.  All donations raised will be directed to Opportunity’s implementing partners who work in the region and go to support those affected with food, clothing and shelter.

If you would like to provide emergency support to affected families living in the Mindanao region of the Philippines, please click here.

Opportunity International Australia’s implementing partner ASKI in the Philippines has been awarded the 'Seal of Transparency' by MF Transparency, a global initiative for fair and transparent pricing in the microfinance sector.

In the story by Microfinance Focus, ASKI Executive Director Rolando B. Victoria states, “Being a champion in promoting client protection, we keep our clients informed on the different loan products and services of the organisation as well as the charges and other fees incurred when they avail of these products.”

ASKI also received the award of `Most Outstanding NGO` in October for their outstanding achievements by the National Livelihood Development Corporation (NLDC).

By providing financial services, technical expertise and various community enrichment activities, ASKI is helping to secure the futures of close to 80,000 Filipino families living in poverty. With this support and access to small loans, these families are able to start a business, earn an income and afford safe drinking water, nutritious food and an education for their children.

Read more...
• Full story and release on Microfinance Focus here.
• Latest ASKI partner profile
• Opportunity’s partner ASKI wins most outstanding NGO in the Philippines

This story was originally posted on the Opportunity International Canada blog and can be read here.