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 In March 2008, photographer and Ambassador Rick Carter travelled to India with Opportunity International Australia to capture the vast scale of poverty in this compelling country, documenting the lives of those transformed by a small loan that enabled them to grow a business, earn an income and move out of poverty.
This October, Carter's photographic exhibition Eight Sixty ( www.eightsixty.org) is on show at Blender Gallery in Sydney. Looking beneath the colourful surface of India, Eight Sixty captures the lives of women and their families in the battle to lift themselves out of poverty, illustrating them with dignity and hope. The exhibition's title refers to the number of people currently living in poverty in India - an incredible 860 million.
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A number of our clients in the Philippines have been affected by Typhoon Fengshen, the powerful typhoon that roared through the region on 21 June.
Severe weather and flooding have claimed the lives of hundreds of Filipino locals and many families have loved ones still missing. Opportunity International Australia, which funds a number of microfinance institutions in the Philippines, expresses its deep sadness at this devastating tragedy. Our condolences go to all our partner staff and clients in the region – our partner organisations are currently working to find out how many people are affected. |
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 Did you know that a silent revolution has been occurring amongst women both here in Australia and in developing countries around the world? In countries such as India, Indonesia and the Philippines, this revolution is known as microfinance, a poverty alleviation tool that is successfully empowering women across the globe; giving them the means to start a business and work their way out of poverty.
In Australia, this revolution is known as Women's Opportunity, a network of inspirational women who use their influence and expertise to come alongside women in developing countries to help them free themselves from poverty. An ambassador arm of Opportunity International Australia, the newly launched Women's Opportunity section of our website can be viewed here.
This year, Women's Opportunity set itself an ambitious goal of raising $1 million to set thousands of women free from poverty in India. We have been amazed to see Australian women grab a hold of this vision and become leaders in the area of philanthropy. As at 30 June 2008, we have raised $614,540 through the giving of Women's Opportunity Ambassadors, their family and friends, and are well on the way to achieving our Elevation Tour fundraising goal. |
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Opportunity International Australia is pleased to announce Robert Dunn as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Robert has been with Opportunity for close to two years, joining initially in November 2006 as Chief Financial Officer. Previously he spent 10 years as Finance Director at Patrick Corporation. We look forward with excitement to this new phase of the organisation's life under his leadership. |
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It is said that the majority of deaths from starvation happen when food is plentiful, but people simply cannot afford to buy it. War, disaster and famine account for a much smaller percentage.
Rising food prices around the world have recently sparked fear of a global food crisis. World Bank head Robert Zoellick warned earlier this month that 100 million people in developing countries could be forced even deeper into poverty by spiralling food prices. The leader of the World Bank’s sister organisation, the International Monetary Fund, observes that hundreds of thousands of people are at risk of starvation because they have such limited access to food.
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A World Bank report released on 11 June shows that Indonesia has made major improvements in its health system over the last three decades, but is still struggling to achieve important health outcomes, especially among those who live in poverty within its borders – a massive 52% of the population. |
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