First impressions Getting off the plane and walking through the electronic automated passport control is an apt introduction to Australia’s world of technology, order and ‘efficiencies.’ Meeting the folks and then emerging into the fresh, crisp Melbourne air is when the shock really kicks in; Australia is rich, very rich. New cars cruise along smooth, […]
In one of Port-au-Prince's most earthquake-damaged districts, Oxfam is helping find land for residents to grow their own vegetables. As this slide show indicates, the project is already paying off in many ways.
By Caroline Gluck, Oxfam I wasn’t looking forward to returning to Haiti. Two years ago, I was one of the first of Oxfam’s emergency team to fly to the island, arriving three days after it was hit by a devastating earthquake, which killed more than 220,000 people and left over a million homeless. It was […]
By Jane Beesley, Oxfam The earthquake that hit Haiti in January 2010 resulted in one of the largest emergencies in recent years – killing over 220,000 people, displacing more than 1.5 million and devastating an already poor and weak economy. Today many people struggle to find work with many businesses no longer operating or struggling […]
Keith Bacongco, Oxfam Philippines Flood-affected men and women in the Philippines had something to smile about thanks to Oxfam when they received malongs, an amazing traditional Muslim blanket that doubles as a wrap-around, water container and water purifier. Displaced by tropical storm Sendong (international name Washi) two weeks ago, they belong to at least 7,000 […]
Rodilyn Bolo, Oxfam Phillipines Many of the families who lost their homes to storm Sendong (international name: Washi) have since stayed in cramped evacuation centers, their personal space often defined by the size of the sleeping mat they own. Vicky Aguiman, a 65 year-old resident of Purok Tambo, Macasandig, one of the worst hit areas […]
Imagine if the lifestyle your family had led for generations was on the verge of extinction. Would you cling determinedly to the old ways or would you bite the bullet and make whatever changes were necessary to survive? Herding families in the southern Ethiopian village of Melka Guba were forced to make this decision. Years […]
As the death toll passes 1,000 from the devastating tropical storm that hit the southern Philippines on Sunday, Oxfam has sent in emergency responders to determine the region’s humanitarian needs. A team of ten experts are on the ground in Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City to assess the water and sanitation conditions, after […]
It’s easy to get caught up in the material anxieties of the holiday season. For a bit of perspective we bring you the story of Maree, a 23-year-old Cambodian woman living with her mother in the Takeo district of Cambodia. Maree doesn’t own any land, so she travels 90 km to Phnom Penh to work […]
2011 is coming to a close, and we just wanted to take the time to thank you for all your work throughout the year. Through your tireless efforts, we’ve achieved amazing things on a number of fronts. Here’s just a few highlights from 2011: Oxfam Summer Our Victorian Campaigner Clancy and his volunteers started the […]
