Give Opportunity to the DR Congo

Denied by other banks, Danny Mbuila went in search of a partner he could trust to help him grow his shelving business in Kinshasa’s Liberty Market. Shortly after meeting with loan officer Esperance Nsarhaza, he joined Opportunity DRC’s Trust Group “Vanqueurs” which translates to, “Winners”.  Danny began training and received his first microloan eight weeks later. 

“I now earn $30 to $40 each day and can feed my family and grow my business,” says Danny. “I have also used the income to pay school fees and move from a one-room to a three-room home.” One year after joining Opportunity, Danny used his increased capital to pursue another dream: to marry Carine, the mother of his three children. “I gained more esteem from the community and especially from my children by making my union with their mother official. It also brought Carine more respect from her family. In my heart, she has always been my wife, but the $3,500 to make it legal was impossible for us to overcome. Until now.” 

“I recently helped Carine start her own business; seeing her fulfill her dream brought me a great deal of happiness.” Danny has his own dream to move his business from his market stall to a storefront shop and eventually buy land for his family. “Today, I have a sense of hope for a better life for my children,” he says.

Because of inspiring stories like Danny’s we are very pleased to announce the April 2013 launch of Opportunity DRC’s third branch, this one in Matete, a bustling Kinshasa-area market. This new branch will allow us to help even more men and women like Danny.

Opportunity DRC program statistics:  

• Tripled its footprint in 2013, growing to three branches, leading to a 33% increase in the number of active clients plus doubling its loan portfolio.
• Nearly doubled the operational sustainability, amidst a year of growth in outreach. 
• Continued to resolve the political issues that are delaying the deposit-taking license application.