Oxfam International disaster
activities and programs
By Kerry Hoerth
Oxfam International is a confederation of twelve international non-governmental
organizations with an annual budget of over $402 million. Its mission
is to work with over 3,250 partners to overcome poverty and suffering throughout
the world. Oxfam works on a broad range of issues, including trade,
conflict, debt and aid, and education which it has loosely grouped into the
following four programs: Development, Emergency, Research and Lobbying, and
Campaigning.
Oxfam's disaster work includes advocacy, prevention, preparedness, direct
response, and rehabilitation. The organization believes that people
affected by disaster have the right to receive rapid high quality emergency-humanitarian
assistance. This assistance is to relieve human suffering and minimize
losses to long-term development. Today, Oxfam’s Emergency program is
engaged in disasters globally including five large-scale international disasters:
the 2005 South Asia earthquake, the West African Food Crisis, the 2004 Pacific
Tsunami, the Sudan Refugee Crisis, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Refugee Crisis.
--- 2005 South Asia Earthquake: A massive earthquake hit Asia on October
8, 2005, causing considerable damage in Pakistan, Kashmir, north India, and
Afghanistan. Tens of thousands of people died and millions have lost
their homes. Oxfam's disaster response and recovery involvement is focusing
on providing survivors with access to clean water and appropriate shelter
to protect them from the harsh Himalayan winter.
--- West African Food Crisis: Severe drought, along with an invasion of
locusts, have devastated crops and forced large parts of West Africa into
crisis, particularly Niger, Mali, and Mauritania. Over three million
people are facing starvation. Oxfam’s disaster response and recovery
involvement is focusing on subsidized sale of animal feed, food for work,
food security monitoring, and emergency preparedness against future locust
invasions.
--- 2004 Pacific Tsunami: A massive earthquake and tsunami struck Asia on
December 26, 2004, killing hundreds of thousands of people and displacing
millions. Oxfam’s disaster response and recovery involvement initially
focused on building temporary shelters, delivering food and hygiene supplies,
and ensuring safe water and sanitation. Today, Oxfam is helping rebuild
communities through the construction of homes.
--- Sudan Refugee Crisis: Since 2003, over two million people have been
forced to flee their homes due to civil conflict in the Darfur region of
Sudan. These people are now living in makeshift shelters in large camps
on the outskirts of Darfur and in Chad. Oxfam’s disaster response and
recovery involvement is focusing on fighting the spread of disease in these
camps by building latrines, providing clean water, installing washing facilities,
and distributing items such as soap, clothes, and blankets.
--- DRC Refugee Crisis: Since 1997, the DRC has been home to the deadliest
civilian conflict since World War II. It has killed an estimated four
million people and forced thousands to flee their homes and setup makeshift
camps in overburdened villages. Oxfam’s disaster response and recovery
involvement is focusing on installing emergency water supply and treatment
systems, constructing latrines and showers, and promoting hygiene in these
camps.
Source: http://www.oxfam.org/en/