Young Ambassadors for Opportunity (YAO)

Opportunity International Canada recently launched a movement to unite the growing number of young leaders (aged 18-35) who are excited about microfinance. Young people from across the country are coming together to dream and develop meaningful ways to support those living in chronic poverty around the world.

And we need YOUR help - there are plenty of ways to get involved!

Who are we?

We are a community of young professionals and students who have decided to do SOMETHING to support microfinance. How you choose to get involved is up to you - whether that means signing up for the YAO mailing list, becoming aNext2Nothing monthly giver, committing to be an Opportunity Advocate in your school or workplace, or holding an informational event or fundraiser. YAO chapters also exist across the US and in the UK. Our common thread is that, as a group of young people, we are committed to building a movement that will change the world.

Our mission is to INSPIRE, EDUCATE, and ENGAGE young leaders, empowering them to transform the lives of the poor through microfinance.

What we've been up to lately...

Over the past three months, 16 MicroMax teams across Canada chose to experience firsthand the reality and reward of becoming a microfinance entrepreneur. Each MicroMax team created a business plan and, using a $100 loan, brought their idea to life in order to raise money for YAO’s Villages of Opportunity in Colombia.

The MicroMax runners-up were Toronto’s Three Women, One Vision, who planned an fitness boot camp fundraiser, and Vancouver entrepreneurs Izabela Krekora and Valeria Braacx, who designed and sold greeting cards featuring microfinance.

Rachel, Jeremy and Sandra Bryant of Calgary were named the MicroMax challenge winners, raising a total of $34,500 by holding an amazing Colombia-themed event centered around a silent auction. For all their hard work, they received an all-expenses paid trip to Colombia to see microfinance at work.

In total, with matching funds in place, MicroMax challenge participants raised $95,650 to expand microfinance services in Arjona, Colombia.

How can you participate?

Sign Up For Our YAO Canada Mailing List:
To sign up for more information and updates about happenings in your area, please click HERE. 

Join Us On Facebook:


Become a Next2Nothing Monthly Giver:
Give next to nothing to be part of an incredible something.
Commit to donating only ONE hour of your salary each month to giving people an opportunity through Opportunity. For students, commit to giving only $5 (and drink one less Frappuccino). Even if you’re only giving $5/month, in less than a year, two Next2Nothing givers will fund a loan for one entrepreneur. Click HERE to become a Next2Nothing monthly giver!

Choose any monthly gift amount and on the third and final check-out page, make sure to specify “18-35 Movement” as the answer to the “What prompted your gift?” question (so your donation gets counted toward our Village). Then encourage a friend to match your commitment and get that new loan funded!

YAO Groups/Chapters:
YAO groups currently exist in the following locations:

For more information about local activities, please email the appropriate person. Make sure to also get on the general YAO Canada mailing list! Local meetings are an opportunity for you to meet others who are excited about Opportunity in your area. The meetings are a time of information-sharing, brainstorming, goal-setting and decision-making about local activities. If you are interested in starting a chapter/group near you, please contact Jannalee at: janderson@opportunityinternational.ca.

OIConnect.ca
OI Canada has recently launched a social media platform designed to connect and engage young leaders across the country and around the world. You can set up a champion profile and share what motivated you to get involved with OIC and microfinance and you can even fundraise online through your profile. To learn more and sign up today, click HERE.

Get Involved In Your Own Way:
We invite you to start dreaming, get creative, and support Opportunity in a way that makes it meaningful to you. Feel free to get inspiration from the list below, or sign up for the mailing list to get connected with a local chapter.

We have decided to aim high! Our ambitious financial goal is to raise the funds needed to expand Opportunity International’s core set of microfinance services (with the addition of a newly developed Youth Entrepreneurship Program) to a new village in Colombia. This village will be the default target for all funds raised by activities within the YAO movement. For a video about our work in Colombia, please click HERE.

Examples of what Young Ambassadors are doing:

Macro For Micro A group of young Canadians (Geoff Dittrich, Isabella Borowiec, Vivian Leung, and Stu McCrory) is demonstrating their true commitment to the alleviation of global poverty by embarking on a 5600km bike trip from Sydney to Perth Australia. Throughout their three month journey, these leaders will be stopping in various cities and towns to promote their campaign and educate others, as well as to draw attention to Opportunity. The premise behind this initiative is that “Small Things Can Make a Big Difference.” The team will solicit donations of $2.00 from people along the way to demonstrate the significant impact small donations will have when pooled together.

Wendy Denton has been keeping the YAO Facebook page full of new info! Search for "YAO Canada" to join us on Facebook!


Debbie Moscinski was tweeting on Opportunity’s behalf before most people even knew what Twitter was! Join Opportunity on Twitter: http://twitter.com/OppIntCanada

Tara Joyce has been assisting Opportunity with web development and strategy for over a year. She recently put together our website facesofopportunity.com.