We find ourselves at a pivotal moment in human history—a time of seismic shifts in political, economic, and social dynamics. As the global landscape resets, poverty is deepening for many, while traditional sources of humanitarian assistance continue to shrink. The work of Opportunity International has never been more urgent—or more vital.
Since 1971, we have remained steadfast in our mission: to empower families living in poverty with the tools they need to build sustainable livelihoods and break the cycle of poverty. Through access to financial services, training, and community-based support, we create pathways for people to lift themselves up— one business, one classroom, one harvest at a time.
Thanks to your unwavering support, 2024 was a year of extraordinary impact. Together, we served more than 21 million clients across 30 countries—including over 8 million loan clients and more than 17.6 million savings clients. We deployed over $2.5 billion in capital, helped finance nearly 20,000 schools, reached 3.4 million students, and supported over 580,000 smallholder farming households. These numbers are not just metrics; they are milestones of transformation. Through rigorous monitoring, evaluation, and independent studies, we see the long-term change that occurs when families can invest in their futures. We don’t just believe this model works—we have the data to prove it.
Still, we know this is no time to stand still. The scale and complexity of today’s challenges demand bold, collective action. We must build new coalitions for change, pursue innovative, grassroots models of income generation, and seek out new partners and pathways that multiply impact. This is not only a moment to respond but a time to reimagine how we walk alongside the people we serve.
This year’s Annual Report is more than a record of what we’ve done, it’s a glimpse into what’s possible when commitment, innovation, compassion, and trust intersect. Every opportunity we create becomes a ripple of transformation—one family empowered, one community strengthened, one future rewritten.
The words of Isaiah 58 continue to guide and inspire me: “If you pour yourself out for the hungry... then the Lord will guide you continually.” At Opportunity, we pour ourselves out every day—for the hungry, the excluded, the forgotten—believing with faith and evidence that every opportunity counts. As you read this report, I hope you see not only the lives that have been changed, but your own reflection in every step forward. We are deeply grateful for your steadfast partnership. Together, with courage, creativity, and conviction, we press on—until all people can live with dignity and purpose.
With deep gratitude,
Atul Tandon Chief Executive Officer Opportunity International
brings students together for morning meeting.
Every Child Counts
Susana is a dedicated teacher and mother raising her family in Ghana. Every day, she divides her energy and attention between her two small children and her classroom of students who are eager to get a good education. It is tiring work, and it can be difficult to access the resources and curriculum she needs, but she never wavers. As she explains, “These children— they need to be taught.”
Susana
Every Partner Counts
Unique to our client-centric model, since 1971, Opportunity International has forged deep, intentional, and impactful relationships with over 200 financial institution partners around the globe. Thanks to vetted, mission-aligned partners, we can reach over 21 million people annually with access to financial training and services.
Manju is a banking agent, or intermediary, between women who want to save money or grow a business and Opportunity’s local financial institution partners.
Intensive Graduation programs in Colombia help people like Lucy— a married mother of four children— to start businesses with the longterm goal of connecting them with a local financial institution and building sustainable livelihoods for families.
In 2024, we worked with 146 active financial institutions across the globe—a robust partnership model that is unique to Opportunity International and enables previously unserved families living in poverty access to financial resources.
PARTNERS POWER LONG-TERM GROWTH
Ending extreme poverty demands a collective commitment. We celebrate our partnerships with financial service providers and committed donors who put their resources behind our shared goal of building sustainable livelihoods. Just one example: since 2020, the Milliman Giving Fund has collaborated with Opportunity to reach close to 150,000 people in Uganda and Colombia. By providing access to capital and business training, and by supporting affordable non-state schools, the partnership has created and sustained jobs for parents and brought quality education to children in marginalized communities.
Every Innovation Counts
Innovation fuels opportunities. The heart of our transformational work continues to be a client with specific needs supported by local staff and peers. Our Farmer Support Agent network matches successful local farmers with neighboring farmers to offer resources and education—an innovative solution that helps farmers grow more crops and earn more income. The School Leadership Professional Development program provides business and financial management training to teachers in under-resourced areas. Thanks to collaborative guidance from local staff and peers, this innovative work enables more children have access to higher quality education. Our financial institution partnership model enables people living in poverty who were previously considered “unbankable” to have access not only to financial services but critical financial literacy training.
Innovation also means tapping into the power of technology to reach more people effectively. Opportunity International’s CoLab leverages our global team to design and scale breakthrough technologies that expand financial access, improve education, and create sustainable livelihoods.
In 2024, Opportunity piloted Farmer AI in Malawi, which builds on the Ulangizi AI chatbot first launched there. Farmer Support Agents who bring Opportunity’s training to their local farmers use the chatbot through WhatsApp to ask questions and generate immediate answers that are based on expert, curated sources. Farmers liked it so much that Opportunity is expanding its use in Malawi and replicating it in Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda in 2025.
Teachers face the challenge of meeting each student’s unique learning needs while adhering to standardized curricula. The Teacher’s Assistant is an application designed to revolutionize the way educators approach lesson planning and student engagement. This pilot is in progress in Ghana.
Dedicated but busy school leaders often find themselves struggling to implement the school improvement plans they create in partnership with Opportunity. The School Assistant uses AI to search Pathways to Excellence to help leaders find the right information at the right time, which accelerates school improvement and increases the chance of student success. This pilot will test in Kenya later in 2025.
Farmers in Malawi try the FarmerAI chatbot.
Total Revenue
$47.7 million Total Expense $50.6 million
Revenue
Program spending is 88% of all expenses
88 % Programs
12 % Fundraising, General, and Administrative Expenses
Consolidated Statement of Activities
Consolidated Statement of Financial Position
NOTES TO FINANCIALS
Opportunity’s programs are financed through charitable donations, earned income from its banking operations, and from focusing on deploying local funds and financial services provided by partner banks and other financial institutions to its clients. Opportunity implements its programs through a worldwide network of staff, branches, subsidiary banks, and local nongovernmental organizations, as well as local implementing partners—commercial, nonprofit, and microfinance institutions. Opportunity uses its charitable donations to invest equity and to fund its direct operations of Education Finance, Agriculture Finance, digital innovations, and support its implementing partners.
The Consolidated Statement of Activities includes charitable revenue and expenses, as well as the consolidated results of the commercial bank where Opportunity is the majority owner. Charitable support increased by 23% from $29.5M to $36.2M. Contributions from private and corporate donors increased 13% while government revenue more than doubled as 2024 was the first full year of implementation of the Advancing Partnerships for Improved Learning Cooperative Agreement in Ghana, with
U.S. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
As of July 15, 2025
Katéy Assem
Former Chairman, Board of Directors, Opportunity International Savings & Loans, Ghana
Jeff Dykstra
Venture Partner of Praxis & Founder and Principal, Four Corners Exploration
Nicole A. Elam
President & CEO, National Bankers Association
Susan Haigh
Former President and CEO, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity
Janelle Muntz Lassonde
Former banker and independent author
Greg Nelson
Digital Innovation Ambassador, Opportunity International
Retired VP of Partner Ecosystem for Business Applications, Microsoft
Jane Nelson
Former Vice President, Bank of America
funds received for the program totaling $3.9M. Charitable yield to program increased 22% year over year. Yield to program is 88% of total expenses.
The Consolidated Statement of Financial Position includes the charitable assets and liabilities, as well as the assets and liabilities of the majority-owned bank. Included in Other Assets is $4M of cash invested in corporate bonds and $2M of right of use assets, operating leases. There is a corresponding $2.3M right of use liability.
The ratio of charitable assets to charitable liabilities is very strong at 6.5 as of September 30, 2024. Banking assets and liabilities increased even though there was 26% devaluation of Ghanaian currency year over year.
Opportunity International’s consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and were independently audited by BAKER TILLY US, LLP. The full audit report including schedule 2, Combining Schedules of Statements of Activities-Banking Operations, may be viewed at: opportunity.org/documents
Mike Palmer
Retired President, Winslow Capital Management
Dale Patterson, Board Vice Chair
President, The Bourton Group Former Chair and CEO, Opportunity International Canada
Carol Starrett Pelino
Former Co-Chair, Board of Governors, Opportunity International
LeAnn Pedersen Pope, Board Chair
Former Partner, Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C.
Fred Sasser
Chairman Emeritus, Sasser Family Holdings, Inc.
Atul Tandon
Chief Executive Officer, Opportunity International
Ken Wathome
Chairman of the Board, NW Realite Ltd., Property One Ltd., Kenya
Every Dollar Counts
Capital Released
10 times
Multiplier Effect
$1
Donor Investment
Because we currently work with 146 financial institution partners, every $1 you give builds the client relationships, programs, training, and hands-on local work that unlocks $10. The multiplier uses the ratio of how much we raise against how much our partners can lend to clients, averaged over three fiscal years—meaning more dollars are put to work in the hands of hardworking families working their way out of poverty.
YOUR OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT
As we grow our community of supporters, we are grateful for the many ways people choose to help build a path out of poverty for our global neighbors:
Board of Governors: Supporters who contribute $5,000 or more annually earn a membership to the Governors community and serve as advocates in their own personal or professional networks. They receive regular updates on our work from senior leaders and have the chance to connect with other mission-minded philanthropists.
Donor Trust Groups: Donor Trust Groups are comprised of five to ten people interested in global philanthropy and solving some of the most challenging obstacles to rising out of poverty. Each group chooses a country or program to support and pools their charitable giving to achieve greater impact. Groups often conclude their work with an Insight Trip to see their philanthropy in action.
Team Opportunity: Team Opportunity invites adventure seekers to participate in extraordinary running, climbing, and hiking events worldwide. This program turns passion into action through epic challenges that build awareness and funds for our mission.
vision
Our vision is a world in which all people have the opportunity to achieve a life free from poverty, with dignity and purpose.
mission
By providing financial solutions and training, we empower people living in poverty to transform their lives, their children’s futures, and their communities.
motivation
We respond to Jesus Christ’s call to love and serve the poor. We seek to emulate the Good Samaritan, whose compassion crossed ethnic groups and religions.
