Oxfam

Just about everyone in the UK has heard about Oxfam or has been in one of the many shops they have across the country. What far fewer people seem to know is exactly what Oxfam does as a charity, where you donations go and what gifts they have available of donations on someone else’s behalf. Originally a small group made to assist in combating global famine, it has taken nearly 70 years for Oxfam to grow into the huge organisation it is today, with over 100 countries taking part in the fight against hunger, illness and prejudice. They have drawn support from a huge variety of celebrities, from Beyonce and Elton John to Sienna Miller and Elizabeth Hurley. Oxfam doesn’t just do direct work supporting needy communities; they also mediate between the other major groups involved in fighting famine in third world countries. As one of the leading organisations in its field, Oxfam focuses on three main areas of aid and assistance for communities in need. Sustainable development is the key to their mission of alleviating the problem of starvation around the world. By using long-term solutions to the causes of poverty, Oxfam is responsible for the success of many farming projects in Africa which have benefited countless people. The installation of wells and pumps in communities which would normally have to send children miles every day to collect water has made a huge difference to the success of their farming, building and general health. Oxfam also focuses largely on humanitarian work, especially in the emergency cases which are so hard to predict or prepare for. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Oxfam lobbies in the west to put pressure on governments to ease debts and provide more aid to third world countries. This work is essential to make sure the largest donators in the world continue to direct their funding appropriately and, if possible, increase it. This is why your gifts are so important to Oxfam. This process is costly and ties up funds in areas where they can’t have an immediate impact on peoples’ lives.

Your gift of a donation to Oxfam will be put towards the promotion of fair trade, educational support and combating AIDS, to name but a few of their areas of speciality. Your money can extend the life of an AIDS victim, or help put a stop to the victimisation of women in societies that haven’t benefited from the social advances we have made in our own countries. You can even research and specify which project you would like your donation to go to, allowing for the most direct support possible to the cause which touches you the most. It’s about time we stood up and stopped taking what we have for granted. While we enjoy increasingly equal rights and successful farming and trade, others are simply being left behind. When a well can bring livelihood to a whole village, imagine what happiness your gift can bring to starving children everywhere.