Opportunity Colombia Your Impact Report, Fall 2026 Colombia is the country where Opportunity International ’s mission started in 1971. Even with some periods of prosperity and peace, it remains a country that illustrates our North star: families living in the deepest poverty who simply need one opportunity to build a life of dignity and purpose. Close to five million people in Colombia live in extreme poverty; inflation is rising near 7 %; it is among the 16 countries with high food insecurity (6.6 million people). Colombia has around three million foreign -born residents . Opportunity's client -centered work in savings groups (proven to be one of the best tools to advance out of poverty), education, and Ultra Poverty Graduation tackles those obstacles. Mothers learn how to budget and save; fathers learn the importance of a st able income to send their children to school.
Children participate in a community activity planned by Ultra -Poverty Graduation cohort 3. Connected, engaged communities mean resilient communities.
EDUCATION The second year of the three -year Education Quality program in Colombia included leadership training, institutional improvement, and improving education quality across 106 schools, impacting 21,200 children. The program provides professional training for school proprietors and teachers, guiding them through lessons/techniques to improve school environment, increase student and parent engagement, and provide safe, accessi ble, affordable education for all students. Our staff consolidated the school self -improvement system, allowing schools to evaluate their processes, identify opportunities, and develop plans to improve teaching and learning. Schools conducted self assessments in 18 areas of education management and created improvement plans focused on sustainable results. Participating schools advanced priorities including reading, writing, spoken communication, and collaborative learning. Schools are empowered to make informed improvements, enhance institutional performance, and foster learning opportunities for all students. Local school leaders also participated in education finance sessions which provided practical tools to improve decision -making, institutional sustainability, and strategic planning. Quality education also hinges on robust, sustainable organizations; by strengthening school leadership, management, and financial stability, schools will have the longevity and capacity to teach thousands more children. SAVINGS GROUPS Savings and loan groups have proven to be one of the best tools to increase financial inclusion, especially for women and smallholder farmers. Through savings groups, members meet and save regularly, then borrow from
that pool of savings, paying interest. At the end of each year, the groups share out their funds such that savers earn interest. The impact is simple and powerful: members can more easily manage household expenses including food, healthcare, and education.
We connect people living in poverty with resources including training on savings and loans, and introductions to financial institutions.
One of Opportunity’s differentiators is our long -term focus on linking savings groups to formal banking . As savings groups mature, formal linkages can be made with financial institution partners like banks and microfinance institutions, giving members a credit history, a financial identity, and the possibility of accessing other financial tools.
Another differentiator: we have expanded our support to provide digitization of savings groups . The digital app DreamSave enables members to record their savings shares, social fund contributions, and loans while improving transparency, accountability, and financial management. This platform strengthens the long -term sustainability of savings groups by providing real -time financial r ecords, reducing reliance on paper -based systems, and helping groups manage their resources more effectively. Community fairs provide an opportunity to expand savings groups, build trust, and connect families with financial institutions. During the third quarter, our team participated in 11 events across Atlantico and Bolivar. As of June 2026, we have 453 active savings groups and 5,677 participants. Groups also managed 395 active internal loans, providing members with resources for personal, household, and productive (income -generating business) needs. By June 2026, 221 savings groups were registered on DreamSave , strengthening digital monitoring and transparency. In FY27 we would like launch 320 new savings groups (12 -15 members each, mostly women) in Colombia. GRADUATION Known locally as Pathways to Opportunities , the Ultra -Poverty Graduation program in Colombia requires robust human resources including staff coaches who provide training and support in basic finance, family and social wellness, saving, business building, and more . Cohort One, Cartagena In June 2026, the Opportunity team finished implementation of the post -graduation strategy for 204 families from the first Graduation cohort. Implemented in April 2025, the strategy provided structured follow up designed to monitor the families’ progress, reduce the risk of setbacks, and strengthen the sustainability of their livelihoods. Over the course of three cycles, the team made 555 visits (97% to goal of 573) . Each cycle combined household monitoring with practical guidance adapted to the realities of each family. Guidance included recommendations on business management, income diversification, savings, reinvestment, and access to external opportunities. By the end of the program, 8 6% of the participants’ businesses were still active. Families with diversified income sources and established savings practices were better positioned to reinvest in their businesses and maintain OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL 2
greater economic stability. The team documented 20 3 cases of housing construction, improvement, or renovation, demonstrating how families were allocating resources toward durable household assets. We also confirmed improved food security and a reduction in the most sever e cases of monetary poverty. These results demonstrate that sustained progress after graduation is supported by a foundation of income, savings, reinvestment, opportunity, and continued access to practical guidance. Following up with Graduation’s inaugural cohort: • 86% sustained or strengthened their business 23 months after graduating • Households with savings grew from 62% to 79% • 124 households diversified income • 150 households sen d children to school regularly • 175 households eat 2+ meals/day
Cohort Two, Cartagena The second cohort of 500 families in Cartagena celebrated the conclusion of their program: 90% of the families rose above Cartagena's extreme poverty threshold with average income rising from $0.90 to $4/day; 98% are eating three meals/day; 95% developed s avings accounts. The savings groups consolidated lasting savings habits, accumulating $233 million COP (USO $64,722) in savings, alongside responsible borrowing and financial planning. This strengthened families' capacity to face contingencies, invest in their businesses, and reduce dependence on high -cost informal loans. Business coaching enabled families to adopt bookkeeping, financial management, and planning tools, improving the sustainability of their productive units. As part of a pilot program aimed at strengthening the sustainability of the savings groups program, 24 female graduates from cohort two trained to become community mentors in Cartagena. Across two sessions, the women learned more about personal finance, internal lending, collective activities, financial inclusion, and our digital savings group app, DreamSave. The mentors will lead their savings groups —and promote new groups —through two eight month cycles. OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL 3
Cohort Three, Barranquilla The third cohort serving 250 families in Barranquilla launched in early 2026. In the first six months, local caseworkers conducted 2,124 family coaching visits; we launched 17 active savings groups with 290 participants (some families have multiple members ). In June, participants completed specialized “boot camps” designed to promote the growth and sustainability of their businesses. The boot camps followed seven business training 24 graduates completed further training to become sessions and brought together entrepreneurs community mentors, helping to promote and support from diverse industry sectors including baking, successful savings groups. cooking, beauty, manufacturing, garment making, handicrafts, agriculture, fishing, and recycling. Graduation clients refined their business models and practices communicating their ideas, receiving mentoring from experienced professionals. The next step in their journey to sustainable livelihoods is pitching their structured business proposals to external evaluators.
Meet Leidy Pachon Leidy’s childhood was marked by poverty, a lack of support networks, and constant exposure to risk, violence, and drug s. For years she faced life with deep uncertainty, until her now -husband helped her start over and deepen her faith . When she joined Opportunity’s Graduation program, her household faced economic hardship, frequent family conflict, and precarious housing conditions. Her business operated informally, with no financial organization or capacity to grow. Through support and training in wellbeing, financial education, and business strengthening, Leidy managed to reorganize her household finances, strengthen her business, and improve her family's living conditions. She also completed certified technical trai ning and could address personal needs she had postponed for years, strengthening her self -esteem and confidence. Today, her ho me is defined by open dialogue, stability, and hope. With her business , she generates steady income, and her community recognizes her as an example of perseverance and transformation. "I thought my story was already written, but the program taught me that it's always possible to start over ." On behalf of the people we serve in Colombia —people like Leidy who need just one opportunity to change the trajectory of their lives —thank you for your generous support.
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