quarterly newsletter
Winter 2007
Bishop John Speaks For John Rucyahana, Bishop of Shyira Diocese in Rwanda, a dream has come true. The Urwego Opportunity Microfinance Bank (UOMB) in Kigali, Rwanda is now open. Long committed to restoring personal dignity to the war-ravaged and poverty-stricken people of Rwanda, Bishop John sees the new bank as a major step forward. The UOMB makes possible—for the first time—safe and secure financial transactions to poor entrepreneurs, and provides essential services that will build up the country’s economy.
Bishop John Rucyahana
“This is the beginning of God’s restoring His dignity into His creation,” said Bishop John. “I want to thank you for being there for the glory of the poor.”
Clementine Uzabakiriho and her family
Celebrating our one millionth client
On September 3, in Kigali, Rwanda, the day began like any other. But, for young Rwandans Clementine Uzabakiriho and her husband Andre, the morning’s events would be significant. They would visit the Urwego Opportunity Microfinance Bank (UOMB) to open their first savings account, and be awarded a ceremonial “key to the bank” by Opportunity International’s CEO Chris Crane. The key symbolized Opportunity’s celebration of them as our one millionth client worldwide, and represented a tribute to their success as entrepreneurs. “We chose to honor Clementine and Andre as our one millionth active loan client worldwide,” said Crane, “because they are a stellar example of the tens of thousands of clients who have started small and quickly grown larger, successful businesses. They employ 41 neighbors, all of whom benefit from the business this hard-working couple has built in only a few years’ time. We celebrate the continued on page 2
inside
“The rich and the poor have a common bond; the LORD is the maker of them all.”
—Proverbs 22:2
Ceo Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Opportunity’s policy department . . . 3 Smart Giving with Chuck Day . . . . . . 4 Women’s Opportunity Network . . . . 4 Board of Governors in action . . . . . . 6