Many people find that they’re able to give more generously to Oxfam through their Will than they ever could during their lifetime. In fact, you might be surprised to hear what just a small percentage of your estate can achieve.
When you include a bequest in your Will to Oxfam, you can achieve extraordinary things for people living in poverty.
A bequest in your Will can — give a generation clean water
Despite significant progress in Bangladesh over the past two decades, 20% of the rural population and 15% of people living in urban areas still don’t have access to clean water and sanitation facilities.
However, young women like Onima — who grew up in a slum in Mymensingh — are working to change those statistics. At just 15 years old, Onima conducts hygiene promotion classes with adolescent girls in her community, teaching them the importance of washing hands before eating, maintaining proper menstrual hygiene, and other key health messages. She also volunteers with Oxfam’s partner, NGO Forum, in sharing her knowledge of disaster preparedness.
“When I was younger, I attended sessions like these myself,” she said. “That’s my inspiration: they taught me a lot and told me to share what I know. I’m exploring my potential. Maybe others have strong potential too but because of lack of resources they don’t reach their potential.”
Typically, a small percentage of a person’s Will can help to build about 25 public toilet blocks and public baths for women and girls like Onima living in slums in Mymensingh.
A bequest in your Will can — give a generation hope for the future
In April 2015, a devastating earthquake struck in Nepal. It killed more than 8,000 people and left thousands more homeless, living in crowded, makeshift camps with no access to clean water.
It was thanks to Oxfam supporters like you that we could act in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, building water tanks and delivering hygiene kits to those affected — keeping thousands of families safe from deadly diseases.
In the long-term, we’ll also be there to help families like Indramaya’s (pictured) get back on their feet by distributing building materials and seeds so they can re-plant their crops. And we’ll help communities be prepared if disaster strikes again.
In an emergency, we can be there within days — or hours — delivering life-saving water and sanitation. A gift in your Will to Oxfam can give people the chance to rebuild their lives.
A bequest in your Will can — keep a generation healthy
Every person in the world has the right to enough food to eat, clean water to drink, shelter and education.
In Quallum province, Niger, Binta Boukary’s baby Fati almost died from malnutrition. Oxfam provided Binta with training in hygiene and nutrition so she can keep her children healthy.
In Niger, only half the population has access to clean water, which means many children get sick from drinking dirty water. Half of child deaths are caused by malnutrition; and we know that dirty water is a major contributor to this preventable illness.
That’s why we’re building wells to provide clean, safe water, and installing toilets and hand-washing stations. We’re also helping people in Niger to have a voice on the issues that affect them the most.
Everyone deserves basic human rights. A gift in your Will to Oxfam can empower people to meet their everyday needs.
A bequest in your Will can — empower a generation of women
In Port Moresby, Papua New Guniea, Lisa and her daughter, Rahab, found shelter and received counselling through Oxfam’s local partner, Lifeline, after Lisa’s husband physically abused her.
Poverty has risen sharply in Papua New Guinea over the past two decades, which has affected more than just people’s ability to have enough food to eat. Women like Lisa are experiencing horrific violence and brutality as part of their everyday lives and sadly, this behaviour is seen as normal by her community.
Oxfam works with local community organisations to provide women and children with food, water, counselling, medical treatment and a safe place to sleep, keeping them free from violence.
We also give women and girls a voice by holding workshops that challenge deeply-engrained attitudes towards women and promote long-term behavioural change in men and boys.
A gift in your Will to Oxfam can help women to put violence behind them and begin living safer, happier lives.
By leaving a bequest to Oxfam in your Will, you can make an enormous difference in the lives of people living in poverty all over the world.
