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Opportunity International

When Opportunity International, a non-profit organization came to me in 1998, they had been in existence for nearly 30 years, rendering great humanitarian service in the developing world. Yet, they were one of the world's best-kept secrets, and the service they provided - microfinance - empowering poor men and women with low-interest business loans and training in basic business practices, which enabled them to become self-employed and freed from hunger and destitution, was virtually unheard-of by the media or the American public.

In the four years I represented OI, I conceived, ghost-wrote and placed a large number of Op-Eds in major newspapers. I also wrote speeches; and generated important stories about this NGO's work in newspapers and magazines. Virtually all of the Op-Eds were written on behalf of the two Chief Executive Officers I worked for during my tenure with Opportunity.

There are a wide variety of strategies I employ on behalf of clients, depending upon the nature of their services, products or issues. For Opportunity International, I determined that the Op-Ed piece - the commentary articles which appear in major newspapers - was a powerful communications tool for this client. Not only would the appearance of an Op-Ed have an immediate impact upon a publication's readership. As thought pieces, the "reprint value" had perhaps even greater impact by leveraging the support of existing and potential donors and opinion leaders. In the four years I represented OI, I conceived, ghost-wrote and placed a large number of Op-Eds in major newspapers, and generated as well important stories about this NGO's work in newspapers and magazines.

The first Op-Ed listed, "Redeeming the Lives of the World's Poorest Children," was co-bylined by television legend Art Linkletter, who I approached and who consented to enjoin his name with the CEO's. Such notables as General Claudia Kennedy (the highest ranking woman in the U.S. Army) ["Creating Wealth at Grass-Roots Level"], Jack Kemp ["Compassionate Capitalism"] and famed television evangelist Rev. Robert Schuller ["Small Loans Pay Off"], also participated in Op-Eds written for them and Opportunity's CEO.

Here is a speech I ghost-wrote for delivery to the
President's Forum of Opportunity International:

Light In The Midst of Darkness: Two Views of Global Poverty
by Lt. General Claudia Kennedy, Retired,
former Deputy Director of Intelligence, US Army

Here is a list of the Op-Eds and articles I wrote and placed on behalf of Opportunity International:

Redeeming the Lives of the World's Poorest Children,
San-Diego Union-Tribune, November 27, 2003.

Creating wealth at grass-roots level
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, October 31, 2003.

Compassionate Capitalism
The Washington Times, August 27, 2003.

Nike Helps Empower the Poor
The Oregonian, May 17, 2003.

Entrepreneur Un-Retires to Head Up Micro-Loan Program
San Diego Business Journal, April 28, 2003

Overcoming the "Poverty of Dignity" with Microfinance
Monday Developments, April 14, 2003.

Giving a Lift
San Diego Magazine, April, 2003

Battling AIDS with Trust
Chicago Tribune, March 12, 2003

More Than a Public Relations Payoff
San Jose Mercury News, January 2, 2003

The Payoff from Charitable Giving
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, December 27, 2002

Loans Ease Third World Poverty
Chicago Sun-Times, November 23, 2002

Aiding Mexico's Poor with Microcredit
San Diego Union-Tribune, November 28, 2001

Program Recycles Trash Into Opportunity
Wall Street Journal, November 6, 2001

Poverty is Root Problem
The Chicago Sun-Times, October 10, 2001

Fighting for the Poor with Microenterprise Development
Assembly, West Point Academy Association of Graduates Magazine, June-July, 2001

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due
The Baltimore Sun, May 13, 2001

Saving the Planet -- and Its Inhabitants
The Chicago Sun-Times, April 22, 2001

Microloans Yield Macro Help for World's Poor
The Palm Beach Daily News, February 26, 2001

JFK and Jesse, Review and Outlook
The Wall Street Journal, January 19, 2001

Microenterprise: A Better Day for a Better World
Research News, January 2001

Small loans pay off
The Wall Street Journal (Europe Edition), September 14, 2000

Small loans can battle AIDS scourge in Africa
Chicago Sun Times, July 23, 2000

Microcredit for the Poor
Time Magazine, July 3, 2000

Microcredit: ending poverty on our planet . . . one poor person at a time
Vital Speeches of the Day, May 15, 2000

To fight global poverty, start at the grassroots
The Chronicle of Philanthropy, June 2000

Ministry makes small donations go a long way
Colorado Christian Chronicle, March 2000

Small Loans with Big Impact
Chicago Sun Times, December 1999

Building Blocks
Harvard International Review, Winter 1998/1999

Loans for Life
The Rotarian, November 1999

Aiming at a global gap with micro-credit
The Journal of Commerce, August 1999

Time Banks Gave Micro-Credit to the Poor
The Financial Times, August 1999

Little Loans go a Long Way in Third World
Chicago Tribune, March 14, 1999

Loans to the World's Poor Can Enrich Everyone
International Herald Tribune, August 4, 1999

Oak Brook Agency Execs See Tragedy in Honduras
Chicago Tribune, November 26, 1998

Hey Big Lender, Lend a Little Sum to Me
Financial Times, June 28, 1998