The Opportunity International Network is a global coalition of microfinance organizations which provide transformational microfinance services to over 1 million poor entrepreneurs in 28 countries. For over 35 years, Opportunity International has provided its clients with access to financial services, training and capital to expand their businesses and their lives. In order to meet the changing needs of the modern development world and to have an even greater, lasting impact on the entrepreneurial poor, Opportunity International adjusted its strategy in the year 2000 from the development of NGOs to the development of national-scale, transformational, formal financial institutions.

As a part of this effort, Opportunity International acquired Wedco Enterprise Development Limited and formed a new joint venture company, Opportunity International Wedco Limited (Opportunity), on July 3rd 2006. Working in three of Kenya’s eight provinces, Opportunity grew from 1,000 clients to over 7,000 clients in just one year. Opportunity’s commitment to the success of its clients has enabled it to grow rapidly in these provinces and will soon drive its expansion to other parts of the country.

Opportunity requires no cash collateral for its products, unlike many of its competitors. Borrowers are only required to save a minimum amount during the six-week training period to ensure they have the ability to repay their loan. Opportunity gives mostly group loans with the objective of strengthening communities among the poor and reducing the need for cash collateral.
Our vision is to be a nationwide agent of economic, spiritual and social transformation that is a global center of excellence.

Our mission is to empower the economically active poor through financial and related services, which attract and retain a growing client base.

We intend to achieve this through commitment to our core values of Faith, Integrity, Respect/Humility, and Stewardship in the services we provide our clients.

Repayment Performance on Kiva

    This Lending Partner All Kiva Partners
  Start Date On Kiva Dec 10, 2007 Oct 12, 2005
Total Loans $155,375 $1,971,033,960
Amount of raised Inactive loans $0 $574,365
Number of raised Inactive loans 0 339
Amount of Paying Back Loans $0 $161,441,935
Number of Paying Back Loans 0 189,498
Amount of Ended Loans $155,375 $1,778,411,115
Number of Ended Loans 56 2,385,430
Delinquency Rate 0.00% 12.19%
Amount in Arrears $0 $12,105,119
Outstanding Portfolio ($0) $99,309,366
Number of Loans Delinquent 0 74,125
Default Rate 0.00% 1.83%
Amount of Ended Loans Defaulted $0 $32,476,562
Number of Ended Loans Defaulted 0 85,168
Currency Exchange Loss Rate 0.00% 0.49%
Amount of Currency Exchange Loss $0 $12,087,286
Refund Rate 0.00% 0.55%
Amount of Refunded Loans $0 $10,837,725
Number of Refunded Loans 0 9,606

Loan Characteristics On Kiva

    This Lending Partner All Kiva Partners
  Loans to Women Borrowers 58.93% 78.26%
Average Loan Size $248 $392
Average Individual Loan Size $0 $589
Average Group Loan Size $2,775 $1,896
Average number of borrowers per group 11.2 8.3
Average GDP per capita (PPP) in local country $1,800 $5,597
Average Loan Size / GDP per capita (PPP) 13.79% 7.01%
Average Time to Fund a Loan 4.48 days 8.95 days
Average Dollars Raised Per Day Per Loan $55.36 $43.79
  Average Loan Term 5.93 months 11.47 months

Journaling Performance on Kiva

    This Lending Partner All Kiva Partners
  Total Journals 58 1,185,110
  Journaling Rate 94.64% 42.20%
  Average Number of Comments Per Journal 0.95 0.02
  Average Number of Recommendations Per Journal 41.53 0.57

Borrowing Cost Comparison (based on 2009 data)

    This Lending Partner Median for MFI's in Country All Kiva Partners
  Average Cost to Borrower N/A 36.00% PY 26.71% PY
  Profitability (return on assets) N/A 0.5% -3.02%
  Average Loan Size (% of per capita income) N/A 56.00% 0.00%

Country Fast Facts

Lending Partner Staff