Feature Friday: Opportunity International

My family just read a biography of David Bussau and WOW!!! The man is an incredible inspiration. His work ethic and drive is rare but it led to incredible things and blessings for millions of people. I truly believe God was working behind all that David has accomplished.

There are a lot of twists and turns in David's story, lots of companies (it can get a little confusing) but the end of it and what we have largely today is Opportunity International. What is so cool about this organization is that they have a "teach a man to fish" model of helping people get out of poverty. Too many attempts to help the poor just leave them dependent on the people who are helping and nothing really changes. With Opportunity International, they work with people, not doing things for them.

David's model is to loan a person or family some money to set up a business that they can do to make some extra money. His first trial of this was when he loaned a woman the money to buy a sewing machine to start making and selling dresses. It has grown from there.

Notice I am using the word "loan". That's important. They are not given this money free and clear. That doesn't work. The people pay back the loan over time and nowadays pay a minimal amount of interest because that enables OI to keep this whole thing going.

I don't know why this is not more well-known and why more people don't use this method but the results are astonishing. This is working. This is a solution to poverty. God blessed David with skills and knowledge, a passion for learning, people, and problem solving, and this organization is the result.

Check them out and see for yourself!!!!