MAKE POVERTY HISTORY
Oxfam International
Kate Fedder
The name “Oxfam” comes from the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief, founded in
Britain in 1942
Oxfam began in 1942 by campaigning for food to be sent through a naval blockade to
starving women and children
The first overseas Oxfam was founded in Canada in 1963
Oxfam Great Britain is largest,with 5,955 employees and programs in
over 70 countries in 8 regions
15 Years of Service as Oxfam International
14 member organizations make up the Oxfam International
Confederation
United States
AustraliaNew
Zealand
Canada
Great Britain
Helping Around the World
working in 99 countries around the world
Overcoming Poverty and Injustice
work with 3,000 local partner organizations to provide long-term and immediate aid
Overcoming Poverty and Injustice
Oxfam focuses efforts in five major areas
1) development 2) emergencies 3) campaigning 4) advocacy 5) policy research
Work on long-term programs
Provide immediate life-saving assistance
Raise public awareness
Pressure decision-makers
Speak as authority after thorough research
Oxfam is committed to human rights
everyone should have the right to:
- a livelihood - basic services - be safe from
harm - be heard - be treated as
equal
Oxfam is ambitious helping with many issues
Let’s focus on three examples
Debt reliefClimate changeEmergency response
Aid and debt relief are essential to help poor countries escape poverty
More and better aid
•increase international aid
• support poor countries’ plans out of poverty
Aid and debt relief are essential to help poor countries escape poverty
Debt Relief•Cancelling debt leaves money to spend on essentials
•Zambia cancel debt-2005-free health care
Climate change is driving the world’s poorest people towards the edge of survival
Seems to always hit the poor first and hit them the hardest
Oxfam’s Approach-Respond to serious droughts and floods-Help poor communities adapt
One solution is to draw the attention of politicians
UN climate meeting in Bali 2007
Emergency Response
Pakistan floods 2010 West Africa Food Crisis
Haiti Earthquake Afghanistan
EARTHQUAKE STRUCK HAITI ON JANUARY 12 LEAVING PORT-AU-PRINCE IN RUINS
RECENTLY THE CHOLERA OUTBREAK HAS CAUSED MANY MORE DEATHS…
Haiti’s health is in everyone’s hands
Oxfam has reached approximately 500,000 people with aid
Provided: -clean water -sanitation -shelter -seeds -running cash for work programs
Oxfam has reached approximately 500,000 people with aid
“We are working as quickly as possible to stop the spread of cholera. We have a lot of resources in the country right now and luckily this is a very preventable and treatable disease.” -Oxfam
-
Where do things stand now in Haiti?
Oxfam's priorities for long-term Haitian reconstruction:
•Haitian farmers and small business•speed economic recovery•civil society•build back better•debt cancellation
Oxfam has its critics
Conflict with Starbucks on Ethiopian coffeeStarbucks accuse Oxfam of “misleading
behavior”
versus
Oxfam has its critics
•The Economist pointed out Oxfam’s “simplistic” stance
•2005 New Internationalist – Oxfam addresses symptoms not causes
OXFAM UNWRAPPED
How can you help??
Unique charitable gifts that do good
A dozen chicks
$45
Alpaca meadow $75
Goat $50
Rebuild a primary school $1,500
Books for kids$18
Plant a vegetable garden$30
A grove of“miracle trees”$35
Mosquito Nets$25
Works Cited•http://www.oxfam.org/en•http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxfam#History_and_beginnings•grandaspirations.org•asianclubguide.com•campbelltown.sa.gov.au•wondercliparts.com•covertress.blogspot.com•enchantedlearning.com•virginlondonmarathon.com•oxfam.org.au•gawker.com