Opal Transfer, 100% powered by migrant workers in the UK
"I really miss those old days back in the early 2000’s, when we would constantly speak with all our customers in person, see their faces, remember their names, listen to their needs, take part to their daily life, the routine and moments of happiness, while being far from families and home. At that time, Opal Transfer was possibly the tiniest money transfer office in the UK - just imagine a room not wider than 2.5m, where only two tills and two people would squeeze inside! But this was finally our very own tiny place in London, that I had always dreamed of as a student in Latvia! Most of our customers would come to our small branch each and every week: once they got their wage, they would immediately send it home to their families!
Those times were the beginning of a beautiful, long-term friendship with many of our customers. Many of these people, hardworking expats from Eastern and Central European countries, still send money home with Opal Transfer today. Bulgarians, Romanians, Polish, Latvians, Lithuanians, Ukrainians, Russians, to name just a few, created and grew their very own Opal Transfer community. These are the people who would make our days with a good sense of humour, stacks of chocolate, jars full of pickled cucumbers and traditional drinks shared with us from their home countries! By the way, all those goodies have definitely played their part in the Opal Transfer’s growth! And their everyday’s support made us stronger and more determined to succeed in our new lives in the UK. Happy birthday Opal Transfer and a big thank you to each of you, Opal friends!"
Gita, Founder of Opal Transfer
Here are some old photos from the beginnings of Opal Transfer. Meet Gita and Olga, the two guardians!
Meet Opal Transfer team, young and restless, back in the early 2000s:
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