ISBN 978-1-55453-028-1

9 7 8 1 5 5 4 5 3 0 2 8 1

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$18.95 US / $19.95 CDN

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OneHen

Written By Katie Smith Milway Illustrated By Eugenie Fernandes

HOW ONE SMALL LOAN MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE

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www.kidscanpress.com

Buy the book now > www.opportunity.org.uk

> Summer 2008

Opportunity beyond our dreams

www.opportunity.org.uk

Continued on page 2

Microfinance for kids!The remarkable true story of Opportunity International’s Rev. Dr. Kwabena Darko has just been released as a children’s book.One Hen tells the inspirational story of Kojo, a boy from Ghana who uses one small loan to buy a hen. Like Darko, he builds up his business, transforms his family’s life and provides a livelihood for generations of villagers.

The book offers a window into the power of microfinance to help poor people work their way out of poverty.

Buy One Hen on opportunity.org.uk and Amazon will donate 4% of revenue to Opportunity International

“One Hen teaches kids that one person can make a difference in the lives of many,” says author Katie Smith Milway. “The story educates children about entrepreneurship, finance and giving everyone a chance.”

Visit www.onehen.org.uk, a fun, interactive website about microfinance for children and families, with resources for teachers.

“I’m so excited to be saving. I only wish Opportunity Bank could have been here sooner,” says Lucy, a client at our new branch in Mzuzu, northern Malawi. Like Lucy, most women here have no access to banks. “It’s something we never dreamed of,” says another client, Witness Banda.

Northern Malawi is very remote and one of the least developed areas in one of the world’s poorest countries. Our new branch offers micro loans,

savings accounts and insurance to poor people, many of them for the first time. Over 1,500 poor people have opened accounts within three months. This branch has been generously funded by UK donors, the Scottish Government and the European Union.

Gladys (see photo) took out an Opportunity loan to buy both stock for her mini-grocery and second-hand clothes to sell. “The loan has changed my life,” she beams.

“My family is now a happy family,” says Opportunity client Gladys with her husband and son (five yrs).

CEO CORNER

We’re living in tough times. Even in the UK we’re feeling the pinch. Poverty and inequality are getting worse in many parts of the world and a re-think is long overdue. The world’s current food crisis is making things tougher still – especially for those already struggling.

I know of no smarter way to tackle this challenge than microfinance. Especially when it’s done the Opportunity way!

Thanks so much for being part of it. Thanks for helping us to deliver poverty-busting training and services to so many people. We’re intent on helping poor people around the world to create and protect a little bit of income for themselves and their families.

A hand up is all they need. Thank you for helping us to give it to them.

For more on Ambassadors visitwww.opportunity.org.uk www.opportunity.org.uk

Edward FoxCEO, Opportunity International UK

The real KojoFor Dr. Darko, One Hen is a chance to share the power of microfinance.

“I often tell people that when I was young and struggling, somebody gave me a chance,” he says. “All I want to do now is to be part of something that gives young people the same chance to succeed.”

As business increased, his success rippled out into the community

creating jobs. Now his farm is the biggest in West Africa.

Darko also began providing loans to others through Opportunity’s partner, Sinapi Aba. He is now chairman of the board of directors of Opportunity International Ghana, and works tirelessly across Africa to motivate others and teach business management.

The real Kojo – Rev. Dr. Kwabena Darko

Microfinance for kids continued from page 1

“What a wonderful event. Fantastic venue, guests and schedule,” said Denise Vergot Holle, Social Investment Director and Opportunity International Ambassador (photo above), at the official launch of our new Ambassadors’ Network.

Our Patron, HRH The Princess Royal and Opportunity supporters gathered at the first official Ambassadors’ conference, held in April at private bank, C Hoare & Co, in Fleet Street.

The Ambassadors’ NetworkHRH recounted her personal experiences of seeing the impact of Opportunity loans on clients’ lives. Francis Pelekamoyo, chairman of our bank in Malawi, also shared his vision of expanding microfinance operations across Africa.

The Ambassadors’ Network brings together Opportunity supporters who are committed to donating as well as mobilising funds and support through their own networks.

Gifts of Shares

For more on Ghana visit >www.opportunity.org.uk

There comes a time in our lives when it becomes more difficult to make charitable gifts out of income. The beauty of gifting shares is that neither the donor nor the charity has to pay capital gains tax on the shares.

So if you are fortunate enough to have shares to which are attached substantial unrealised capital gains, the gifting route ensures that these unrealised gains effectively end up in the hands of the charity tax free.

Furthermore, the donor himself is able to claim the market value of the shares as a charitable offset in his income tax return.

Opportunity had no difficulty in handling this gift.

It may seem a bit insensitive to talk about unrealised capital gains in the market conditions we have experienced recently, but I hope my few words about share gifts will help you when more prosperous days return!

For more info about Share giving, please contact Shabnam Zamurd szamurd@opportunity.org.uk

The Malawi ‘Saving Grace’ Fund

This year, when I wished to make a donation to Opportunity, I decided to make them a gift of some of my shares.

We all try to save – although in Malawi it’s less for rainy days and more for essentials like education, health care and housing. Many poor Malawians hide their money under a mat, or invest it in livestock and other assets because commercial banks won’t accept their small deposits. Most people can’t afford formal identification, like a driving licence, to prove their identity.

Even a small amount on deposit can help poor people manage in a time of crisis and plan for their future.

Money in the bank helps others too. Bringing unused capital into circulation makes it available for others to borrow. We have set up the ‘Saving Grace’ Fund to raise £175,000 to help 50,000 poor people in Malawi save this year.

Just £3.50 will cover the cost of a fingerprint-enabled bank card to help someone set themselves up for life.

Rise to the Challenge! Go to www.opportunity.org.uk > What we do > Where we work > Malawi

Thank you so much for supporting our Ghana Appeal. 100% of every donation has been transferred to Opportunity’s partner Sinapi Aba Trust, and is now helping people like Yaa Sekyere (see photo) to work their own way out of poverty.

Yaa sells yams. Before taking out her loan, she struggled to pay the family’s medical bills. At times she couldn’t afford school fees.

With her loan, Yaa bought yams in bulk which helped her increase her income and build up her business. She is now respected as a seller of yams in her marketplace and helps other yam sellers.

“I don’t have to buy goods on credit,” says Yaa proudly. “Thanks to Sinapi Aba, I pay for my goods upfront.”

Three of her children are in school and she has high hopes for their future. “Sinapi has really helped me. I knew with hard work backed by faith, I would achieve greater things.”

So far, we’ve raised over £7,700 for Ghana. If you want to help raise more, download a donation form atwww.opportunity.org.uk What we do > Where we work > Ghana

Ghana Appeal

20 08

Help people out of poverty

For more on ‘Saving Grace’ > www.opportunity.org.uk

Colin Webster OBEFormer Executive Director of National Power plc & long-term supporter

Opportunity International.T: +44 (0)1865 725304 E: impact@opportunity.org.uk Registered charity 1107713Patron: HRH The Princess Royal

Contact us. We would love to hear from you. www.opportunity.org.uk

The shop that Jack built

There are many ways to get involvedHave you thought about using your talents to raise money for Opportunity International?

Supporter Simone Campling, a hobby potter who loves to coil and to build by hand, raised over £300 for Opportunity at a local fair, selling her beautiful pots, bowls and ocarinas.

Last year, if you had asked Kenyan Jack Olianga how business was, he’d have said ‘Muzuri sana!’ with a smile on his face - very good! He was proud of his small grocery business which enabled him to support his family. He built up his business from a stall in the market to his own shop where you could buy most things, from phone cards to flour.

Jack’s fortunes changed after the December 2007 elections. His shop was looted and the property severely damaged in the ensuing riots.

He was left with very little except a determination to rebuild.

But Jack couldn’t do it alone. He turned to Opportunity Kenya for help, and a loan allowed him to open a temporary road-side shop. This, coupled with Jack’s hard work, is resulting in his business beginning to flourish again, complete with phone cards, flour - and a future.

Photo credits: Paul Beauchamp; John Cairns; Roger Grosvenor; Opportunity International

Design and production: www.dnal.co.uk

Opportunity’s Deborah Foy and Joyce Owusu-Dabo from Ghana received the awards from Harriett Lamb, Director of The Fair Trade Company

Award WinnerOpportunity International UK has been awarded two of the prestigious City of London Corporation’s Sustainable City Awards - for ‘Sustainable and Responsible Investment’ and ‘Leadership for Sustainability’. At the time of going to print, we were short-listed for the 2008 FT Sustainable Banking Awards.