From our Chair

Why do we give? It is a philosophical question but within the answer lies our motivation. The answer will be different for each of us but for most people there is an innate desire to do good; to see others do well; to not turn our backs on those who are less fortunate, but rather use what we can— our gifts, our resources, our time—so that others can have the essential elements required for life.

Organisations like Opportunity allow our motivation to become reality. Opportunity provides a way for people to channel their desire to do good and see that desire bear fruit.

The responsibility, therefore, is two-fold: we have a responsibility to our supporters, and a responsibility to the very people we seek to serve.

“Opportunity provides a way for people to channel their desire to do good and see that desire bear fruit.” “...we must remain vigilant in our service to those living in poverty.”

As an organisation, Opportunity has its own motivation: a response to Jesus Christ’s call to love and serve the poor. This inspires our vision for a world in which all people have the opportunity to achieve a life free from poverty, with dignity and purpose. We seek to realise this vision through the knowledge and experience of what many of us know well: finance.

The world of finance is a volatile one; there are any number of pressures that can change markets daily. Yet a small loan can be the first step on a journey out of poverty; it can provide momentum to what would otherwise be stagnant.

Even so, our loan recipients face their own pressures, pressures that are unimaginable to us. The shocks they face can often not be recovered from; the small bump in the road for us, could mean devastation for them.

We only have to consider our current experience with COVID-19. Losing your job or seeing revenue from your business or investments recede is challenging and confronting. Having that happen when you are supporting your family on less than five dollars per day in a country without a social security safety net is terrifying.

This is why we must remain vigilant in our service to those living in poverty; to eagerly find ways to reduce those shocks, to seek new partners who are innovative in how they deliver services, while we strengthen relationships with old ones; to not rest on what has always been done, but to look forward and always remember why we give.

It is what Opportunity does every day.

Sincerely,

Joanna White

Chair Opportunity International Australia