Colombia Opportunity Zone: A Holistic Approach Yields Results Your Program Impact Report—Fall 2023
2023–2025 OPPORTUNITY COLOMBIA STRATEGIC GOALS With support from generous donors, impact the lives of an additional 170,454 people, providing six programs in collaboration with 16 partners, and releasing $10.4M in capital
OUR GRATITUDE Because of violence in her hometown, Luciana and her five children fled to Cartagena, Colombia, where they knew no one and had nothing—no money, no food, no roof over their heads. Through the kindness of strangers and her own perseverance and faith, she connected with several organizations that helped her find stability. Thanks to Opportunity International’s Graduation program, she has a business and family plan; she is building up her business of making brooms and mops and she dreams of having a home of her own one day.
Thank you for enabling Luciana, her children, and other families in Colombia to make a life for themselves.
Luciana, businesswoman and Graduation participant
THE NEED Opportunity International launched our work in Colombia in 1971 and we continue to walk hand in hand with the people of Colombia today, as we co-create opportunities for sustainable livelihoods and healthy families. With more than eight million displaced persons and refugees, Colombia is a country with great need and even greater potential.
THE SOLUTIONS Opportunity launched an Opportunity Zone in the Atlantico-Bolivar region of Colombia, intentionally bringing together our flagship programs—starting with education and microbanking, and eventually adding agriculture—into an area with large population of people living in extreme poverty. Our proven three-pronged interventions of tailored training, financial resources, and support increase incomes, create and sustain jobs, and provide affordable quality education for children and youth. COLOMBIA ZONE RESULTS Households Impacted Lives Impacted New Financial/Non-Financial Partners % Households living under $2.15/day Total Capital Released ($M)*
FY2022 Results 6,455 25,818 6 31% $2.8M
FY2023 YTD (June) 9,103 36,912 4 21% $8.9M
FY2023 Goals 9,355 37,420 3 13% $6.2M
% to Goal 97% 99% 133% 162% 143%
*Value of loans disbursed by financial partners 101 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150, Chicago, IL 60606 T 800.793.9455 W opportunity.org
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