Avocados for the first woman, a tow truck for the second.
One: A stand at the side of a red dirt road in Burundi, Africa. A couple jagged two-by-fours hold up the tin roof that shades the woman's display of papayas, fried bananas, and avocados. She has more avocados for sale than the other fruits, and the small pyramids they form match the green fabric of her skirt.
Two: A concrete median alongside a paved road in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A rig of cables and a large hook are holding up the front end of a car, still steaming, as the tow truck drives it away. The woman decided to paint her tow truck maroon, and when she drives it with the windows down her blonde hair goes flying.
When it began they were two people with ideas, with the heart and commitment to start something, but without the cash to get a project off the ground. Then came two loans [two opportunities, two seeds of hope] an ocean away from each other, and as a result neither of the women would ever be the same. Why? Because somebody somewhere decided to invest in her life.
Economic opportunity is creating a means for millions of people worldwide to get out of poverty. Action steps in this area are interconnected with other issues, including education, government policy, gender roles, and healthcare.
Our efforts with Economic Opportunity are currently taking place in: