It's a sad but persistent fact that, across the world, women are typically poorer than men. Women make up a staggering 70% of those who live in abject poverty. Of the 1.3 billion people on the planet who live on less than $1 per day, that means 900 million are women.

Furthermore, women often have fewer options to earn a livelihood that provides adequate food, housing and education for their children. Women do 67% of the world's work, yet only earn 10% of the world's pay, and own 1% of the world's private property. This situation is often caused by the exclusion of females from opportunities for education, the workplace, the ability to own property and involvement in politics.

Opportunity International believes that the best way to interrupt cycles of extreme poverty is by providing women with microfinance. In our experience, women and men show equivalent aptitudes for starting a microloan-funded business. Whereas men feel personally entitled to any business proceeds, women typically pass on their earnings to the rest of the family. When women are able to improve their own circumstances, they tend to direct funds into nutrition and education for their children, making them the 'change agents' of their families. Research has shown that on average, women spend 90% of their income supporting their families, while men typically spend around 35%.

In other words, empowering women with microfinance reaches the most vulnerable people on earth – children living in extreme poverty.

Through participation in microfinance programs, women develop gifts and abilities they never knew they had. These latent gifts often bloom as a result of their business experiences and supportive relationships formed through their Trust Groups. Many of our clients tell us "no one ever believed in me before."