Oak Brook, IL  – Opportunity International today announced a dynamic partnership with Carly Fiorina and the One Woman Initiative to empower an additional two million women living in poverty through financial resources, education and training to build sustainable futures.

As a Global Ambassador to Opportunity International, Fiorina will lend her voice and influence to Opportunity’s efforts to build a network of women investing in women to end the cycle of poverty. Now under Opportunity’s umbrella, the One Woman Initiative will honor its legacy of supporting women and their ‘multiplier effect’ by continuing to grow, following Opportunity International’s approach to achieving sustainable change using microfinance as an entry point.  One loan made to one woman can kick start a successful entrepreneur who will reinvest her success in her family and community.

“Both Carly and I believe in the power of women uniting around their shared commitment and experience.   Together, we hope to engage women in the United States to serve as passionate advocates to address the needs and expand the choices of women in developing countries,” said Vicki Escarra, CEO, Opportunity International.

Opportunity International serves nearly five million people across 20 countries with microfinance loans, savings, insurance and vital training to break the poverty cycle. 93 percent of loans go to women. Opportunity aims to raise $50 million for the One Woman Initiative by 2015, which will fund loans for two million women.

“The acceleration effect of microfinance investment in women is nothing short of remarkable,” Fiorina said. “Data shows that the single greatest point of untapped leverage in the world today is a woman, one woman, and the power she wields to lift up the world around her.”

Studies show that women reinvest 90 percent of their income in their families – sending their children to school, ensuring they are clothed and fed, and saving for the future.

Launched in 2008 by Fiorina, then Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and USAID, the One Woman Intiative served as an international women’s empowerment fund focused on results that benefit one woman and her expanding circle of positive effect. The public-private fund supported development projects in India, Pakistan, Egypt, Azerbaijan and the Philippines.

Opportunity International invests in and mentors determined individuals to leverage their talents to break free of the cycle of poverty.  By partnering with its clients to provide knowledge, guidance and resources, Opportunity enables change that will last for generations. The One Woman Initiative will create a powerful platform for investing in women and breaking the cycle of poverty for women across the developing world. 

About Opportunity International

Opportunity International provides access to savings, small business loans, insurance and training to over five million people working their way out of poverty in the developing world. Clients in over 20 countries use these financial services to start or expand a business, provide for their families, create jobs for their neighbors and build a safety net for the future. For more information, visit http://www.opportunity.org or join the conversation at http://facebook.com/opportunityintl and http://twitter.com/opportunityintl.