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A call to action on Valentine’s Day: Let’s awaken our humanity
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate love here in Canada. Meanwhile, in Gaza, people are facing unimaginable injustice and suffering. The escalating crescendo of violence has, with the invasion…
by Vita Sgardello | February 13, 2024
Earthquake in Türkiye and Syria: one year later, the recovery continues
- Emergency Response
- Humanitarian Assistance
- Natural Disasters
TITLE FROMPOST TYPE A devastating, 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Türkiye and Syria in the early hours of February 6, 2023. Background media: Two people wearing Oxfam branded vests discuss logistics. Oxfam…
by Oxfam Canada | February 2, 2024
Stop Arms Sales to Israel, Now!
- Advocacy in Canada
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Humanitarian Assistance
For over three months, the world has witnessed one of the most devastating conflicts in modern history unfold in Gaza. Today we ask you to join our call for Minister…
by Vita Sgardello | January 26, 2024
Not a Drop in the Bucket: Gaza's Water Crisis
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Humanitarian Assistance
- Water
After more than three months of conflict and siege in Gaza, civilians caught in the conflict are struggling to meet nearly every type of basic need – including water. Frustratingly,…
by Oxfam Canada | January 23, 2024
The Devastating Brunt of Conflict on Gaza's Women and Girls
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Humanitarian Assistance
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
- Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
- Violence Against Women and Girls
- Water
Six detrimental ways women and girls in Gaza are particularly affected by the weight of conflict and displacement.
by Elena Sosa Lerín | November 25, 2023
The Greatest Challenge to Humanitarian Work: Funding
- Climate Change
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
Humanitarian needs are at an all-time high worldwide, but woeful underfunding hinders humanitarian action.
by Oxfam Canada | August 18, 2023
Mobilizing Change in Sekota Town
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
Northern Ethiopia is emerging from a brutal two-year conflict. In spite of the trauma, communities are standing up and rewriting the rules.
by Jennifer Alldred | June 30, 2023
A Visit to Northern Ethiopia Shows Us Why Donations Matter
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
A firsthand account of what a difference Oxfam Canada supporters are making to a community in Amhara, northern Ethiopia - a region that has been through so much.
by Jennifer Alldred | May 24, 2023
A Diary of an Oxfamer from Syria.
by Dania Kareh | Oxfam in Syria | March 14, 2023
Getting Aid to Earthquake Survivors in Türkiye and Syria
Emergency Response
Thirteen million people in southern Türkiye have been affected by three massive earthquakes with roughly one million of whom are now living in shelters and tens of thousands more are…
by Colin Carey | Oxfam America | March 10, 2023
Life in drought-affected Wajir, Kenya
- Climate Change
- Emergency Response
In Kenya, rains have failed for four years consecutively, resulting in acute hunger and extreme vulnerability of local communities.
by Oxfam Canada | March 1, 2023
How Oxfam Responds to Emergencies and How You Can Help
- Advocacy in Canada
- Emergency Response
When responding to emergencies, we work with local partners to support people when they need it most and stay for the long term to rebuild.
by Elena Sosa Lerín | February 10, 2023
Ukraine: After Six Months, the Impact of War Continues Devastating Lives
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
- Violence Against Women and Girls
The war has devastated Ukraine while people in the most vulnerable corners of the world continue feeling its catastrophic ripple effects.
by Oxfam | August 24, 2022
The Greatest Challenge to Humanitarian Work: Funding
- Climate Change
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
Humanitarian needs are at an all-time high worldwide, but woeful underfunding hinders humanitarian action.
by Oxfam Canada | August 18, 2022
4 Links Between the War in Ukraine and the Horn of Africa Hunger Crisis
- Climate Change
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
The economic impacts of the war in Ukraine – including unprecedented food and energy price inflation – are being felt by the most vulnerable in our deeply unequal world.
by Oxfam Canada | April 26, 2022
Climate, Conflict and COVID-19 Crisis in the Horn of Africa
- Climate Change
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Water
Countries in the Horn of Africa are enduring severe hunger, with near-famine conditions in some areas, due to conflict, climate-induced weather shocks (flooding in some countries, drought in others) and…
by Oxfam | February 28, 2022
I’m in the Right Place with Oxfam
- Emergency Response
- Violence Against Women and Girls
Karen Sander, the Chair of the Board of Oxfam Canada, traveled to Bangladesh with senior and program staff from Oxfam. This is her story.
by Karen Sander | December 2, 2021
Millions Facing Humanitarian Catastrophe in Northern Ethiopia
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
Close to seven million need humanitarian assistance across Tigray, Amhara and Afar communities in Ethiopia.
by Oxfam | November 12, 2021
India hit by devastating wave of COVID-19
Emergency Response
India is experiencing a deadly wave of coronavirus deaths, and hospitals are unable to meet the demand for treatment.
by Oxfam Canada | April 28, 2021
A Forgotten Conflict: Yemen Six Years Later
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
After six years of war, Yemen remains the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
by Oxfam Canada | March 25, 2021
After 10 years of war in Syria, families now endure economic crisis
- Advocacy in Canada
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Feminist Aid
Oxfam continues its work to assist families surviving a decade of war in Syria, but every day in Syria is a struggle to survive.
by Dania Kareh | March 15, 2021
Unpacking Oxfam's COVID-19 Water and Public Health Work
Emergency Response
Thanks to all our supporters and partners, we've reached almost 10 million people in 58 countries with water, sanitation, hygiene promotion and public health support.
by Oxfam Canada | March 11, 2021
Millions of women domestic workers face further slide into poverty
- Emergency Response
- Women’s Economic Justice
As the world grapples with the economic fallout from COVID-19, women domestic workers are experiencing an even further slide into poverty.
by Oxfam Canada | January 19, 2021
Together, we fight inequality
- Advocacy in Canada
- Emergency Response
- Feminist Aid
While many communities and countries are still firefighting the COVID-19 crisis, several governments, including here in Canada, have begun outlining their blueprints for our social and economic recovery.
by Kate Higgins | September 24, 2020
Hearts have broken many times over Beirut but never like this
Emergency Response
Explaining my love of Beirut is equal parts tricky and hard. Since leaving the city, I have spent my life thinking of how and when to return.
by Mayssam Zaaroura | August 21, 2020
A water engineer tries to work miracles in Burkina Faso in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis
- Emergency Response
- Water
Is it possible to practice good hygiene without clean water? Huguette Yago faces a challenge of titanic proportions in this COVID-19 pandemic—a lack of water. “Without water, there is no…
by Oxfam Canada | June 8, 2020
What keeps me up at night: COVID-19, abortion and protecting women’s rights
- Advocacy in Canada
- Emergency Response
Sexual and reproductive health services, including safe abortion, are essential, life-saving care, which does not change in times of crisis.
by Lara Cousins | April 28, 2020
COVID-19 may be borderless, but privilege isn’t
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
The global community is saying ‘no one is safe until we are all safe’ but safety is a relative concept, depending on your location and reality.
by Simmi Dixit | Oxfam Canada | April 20, 2020
Cancel the debt so doctors and nurses can keep saving lives
- Advocacy in Canada
- Emergency Response
This open letter is a call for urgent action from doctors and nurses on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
by Oxfam Canada | April 14, 2020
Weathering the Storm of COVID-19
- Advocacy in Canada
- Emergency Response
- Feminist Aid
Existing inequalities mean the most marginalized people around the world are at the greatest risk with COVID-19.
by Lauren Ravon, Oxfam Canada | March 20, 2020
Cyclone Idai one year on: A stark reminder of climate change’s impact on women
- Advocacy in Canada
- Emergency Response
When Cyclone Idai swept across Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe on March 14, 2019, it was deemed one of the worst cyclones ever to hit Africa, killing over a thousand people…
by Kate Higgins | March 13, 2020
71 million people displaced in 2018 due to conflict: 'We did not choose to become refugees'
- Advocacy in Canada
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
- Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
- Violence Against Women and Girls
After an alarming UN report saying a record-breaking 71 million people have been displaced by war in 2018, Susan Grace Duku, founder of Refugee Women and Youth Aid in Uganda,…
by Susan Grace Duku | Founder of Refugee Women and Youth Aid | June 20, 2019
Let’s end period poverty. For good.
- Advocacy in Canada
- Emergency Response
How do you talk about your period? Sure, menstruation may not be a common topic amongst friends on a Friday night but when it does crop up — do you…
by Paula Baker | May 28, 2019
Five things to know about Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe
- Emergency Response
- Natural Disasters
Cyclone Idai has caused widespread destruction and left communities in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi in urgent need of life-saving humanitarian assistance.
by Oxfam Canada | April 12, 2019
Designing hygiene and sanitation facilities in Rohingya refugee camps: for women by women
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
A female architect from Bangladesh collaborates with Rohingya women refugees to design safer hygiene and sanitation facilities.
by Oxfam Canada | March 4, 2019
Five things I’ve learned being a humanitarian aid worker
- Emergency Response
- Natural Disasters
Iffat Tahmid Fatema, 28, is a humanitarian public health worker for Oxfam’s Rohingya refugee response in Bangladesh. I started working for Oxfam last year at the height of the emergency…
by alvaro | August 16, 2018
Rebuilding lives with beads and a megaphone
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
In Uganda’s Bidibidi refugee resettlement camp, one woman is helping others make money—and heal—through a jewellery-making group. Forced from their homes after three years of brutal civil war in South…
by Hammad | June 20, 2018
Nepal earthquake response: creating lasting change for survivors
- Emergency Response
- Natural Disasters
On April 25, 2015, a massive 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal that left nearly 9,000 people dead and destroyed or damaged more than 850,000 homes. Transportation and communications were severely disrupted.…
by Hammad | April 25, 2018
Seven years of war in Syria
Emergency Response
Seven long years after the Syria crisis began, the situation remains bleak. Individual children, women and men continue to bear the brunt of a conflict marked by enormous human suffering,…
by Hammad | March 15, 2018
Hungry for Peace: South Sudan
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
Months after marking four years of devastating war, South Sudan has reached another critical point: more South Sudanese are hungry than ever before. One million people are now on the…
by Hammad | March 7, 2018
SEE ME: Stories
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Natural Disasters
- Women's Transformative Leadership
Right now, millions of families around the world are facing severe food shortages, fleeing their homes in search of safety, and navigating life without access to safe, clean water. These…
by alvaro | November 27, 2017
Yemen's catastrophic cholera crisis
Emergency Response
In Yemen, cholera is killing one person every hour. Over half of them are children. Since late April 2017, the cholera epidemic has spread to nearly every corner of the…
by Oxfam Canada | October 23, 2017
Empowering Local Leaders in Disaster Response
Emergency Response
Oxfam is responding to major emergencies around the world, and we are also helping lead a movement to shift more power, skills, and funds into the hands of local humanitarians.…
by Hammad | October 12, 2017
Rise in hunger an appalling relapse
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Water
For the first time in more than a decade, the United Nations reported a sharp increase in hunger around the world. Reacting to the news, Oxfam International’s executive director Winnie…
by Hammad | September 19, 2017
Reflections from a humanitarian worker
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Water
- Women's Transformative Leadership
Partners and community define our humanitarian work. Her excitement was contagious. Renata Dia stood at the base of the brand new water tap. The solar-powered water system was only a…
by alvaro | August 19, 2017
Protection of women and girls: a bright idea
- Emergency Response
- Violence Against Women and Girls
- Women's Transformative Leadership
Sometimes we harm the people we try to help. As humanitarians we deliver life-saving assistance to people who need it, but sometimes, the way we provide that assistance can inadvertently…
by Hammad | August 18, 2017
A catastrophic cholera crisis threatens Yemen
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
Yemen’s human-made catastrophe is forcing people to make stark live or die choices. Yemenis, already on the tipping point after more than two years of war, are now being forced…
by Oxfam Canada | August 16, 2017
Supporting survivors of conflict in South Sudan
Emergency Response
Millions of people have been displaced from their homes in South Sudan. They are facing hunger and acute food insecurity as a result of on-going conflict. Oxfam is responding to…
by Hammad | June 19, 2017
Hope and resilience: Sylvie’s life in Buporo refugee camp
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
- Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
- Violence Against Women and Girls
- Water
When Sylvie’s husband died of disease in Buporo refugee camp, it was not only heartbreaking for this young mother and her four children. It was also terrifying. Sylvie’s days became…
by Oxfam Canada | June 19, 2017
Drought in East Africa: “If the rains do not come, none of us will survive”
- Emergency Response
- Natural Disasters
A large double-decker truck is quickly making its way towards Garadag from Fadigaab, in the south of Somaliland. It is carrying nine families and what is left of their herds:…
by alvaro | April 27, 2017
INFOGRAPHIC: Food Security to Famine
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Water
What do words like “food insecurity” and “famine” actually mean? Our graphic below explains. And when it comes to hunger, understanding is action. If we know what these words mean…
by alvaro | April 19, 2017
How canoes are saving lives in South Sudan
Emergency Response
Nyal, South Sudan was previously a quiet town known for its mango and palm trees. Two years of extended fighting in the surrounding areas however, has forced thousands of people…
by Hammad | March 24, 2017
Emergency Food Crisis
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
This fund will support Canadian and international organizations currently hard at work helping those in need in the affected countries and neighbouring regions. Understand how this fund works. This is…
by Oxfam Canada | March 24, 2017
How a Syrian lawyer saw his American dream turned upside down
Emergency Response
When Syrian refugee Feras Almouqdad, 29, received a call inviting him to undergo the vetting process to be resettled in the United States, he was over the moon. Today, he…
by alvaro | February 3, 2017
Reflections from Iraq, where families are fleeing war and trying to rebuild
Emergency Response
And they aren’t alone in facing profound challenges: Countless other families are striving to rebuild their lives and communities after two years of ISIS occupation. I was there to visit…
by alvaro | January 27, 2017
The deadly trail of Hurricane Matthew
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
Written by María José Agejas, journalist in the Communication Department of Oxfam Intermón. Jean Robert looks around, still unable to believe his eyes. “I never saw anything like it, the…
by alvaro | November 4, 2016
In Pictures: Hope and Loss as World's Youngest Country Turns Five
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
Last week, Canadians came together to celebrate their country’s 149th birthday. This week, South Sudan marks 5 years as an independent nation. Yet, for many there is little to celebrate.…
by alvaro | July 7, 2016
Solidarity: Let's make sure it doesn't end here
- Advocacy in Canada
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
On Monday June 20, 2016, we marked World Refugee Day, standing with refugees around the world, from Syria to Burundi. Just two days later, we stood together in solidarity once…
by alvaro | June 25, 2016
8 things that make our bucket life-changing
- Advocacy in Canada
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
- Water
We know that clean water saves lives, but in order to access it, people need to be able to safely transport and store it. That’s why a better bucket makes…
by Oxfam Canada | June 14, 2016
This is just such a good idea, Period.
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
Written by Ann Witteveen, Humanitarian Manager, Oxfam Canada. I grew up in the 70’s when commercials for ‘feminine hygiene products’ were a rarity and even when shown were often so…
by alvaro | June 14, 2016
A Life Displaced is Still a Life with Hope and Dreams
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
By Melanie Gallant, Oxfam Canada’s Media Relations Officer Whether through civil war or other forms of conflict, natural disasters or climate related disasters such as drought, the global scale of…
by alvaro | June 14, 2016
Without water, we won't survive
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Natural Disasters
- Water
Ethiopia is experiencing its worst drought in 50 years. The El Niño weather system, exacerbated by climate change, comes off the back of 12-18 months of erratic or failed rains.…
by Oxfam Canada | June 8, 2016
A new year brings renewed hope for peace and equality
Emergency Response
Written by Julie Delahanty Executive Director, Oxfam Canada Canadians couldn’t have asked for a more optimistic start to 2016 than to begin the new year knowing that our country will…
by alvaro | January 12, 2016
As winter settles in, refugees from Syria face increasing hardship
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
by Joelle Bassoul, Media Advisor for Oxfam in Beirut Hundreds of thousands of refugees from Syria have seen another winter descend on the Middle East, for some this is their…
by alvaro | January 8, 2016
Poor rains, failing crops and fighting - the state of food security in South Sudan
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Natural Disasters
By Stella MadeteOxfam in South Sudan Monica has not been home in Malakal for almost two years. She has not seen or spoken to two of her four children either.…
by alvaro | October 23, 2015
Thanking and giving in the Syrian refugee camps of Lebanon
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
I have a lot to be thankful for. Good health, a loving family, a home and a gratifying job. But like many, I often take these blessings for granted. This…
by Oxfam Canada | October 10, 2015
Women, Peace & Security - In That Order!
- Advocacy in Canada
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
Written by Julie Lafrenière Women’s Rights Knowledge Specialist On September 15th, 2015 in Ottawa there was an important event featuring three female Nobel Peace Laureates: Shirin Ebadi (Iran), Mairead Maguire…
by Oxfam Canada | September 15, 2015
Syria: A Lasting Solution in the Wake of Needless Tragedy
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
The searing images of three-year-old Alan Kurdi have moved through cyberspace and galvanized reaction around the world. People everywhere are shocked and saddened in witnessing the tragedy of a little…
by alvaro | September 3, 2015
A Tribute to Humanitarian Workers
- Emergency Response
- Natural Disasters
Privthyva was born April 25th – an hour after the earthquake. In rural Dolakha, even in good times, women do not give birth in a hospital. A few, lucky women…
by alvaro | August 19, 2015
War, peace and women's long journey for justice in Somalia
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
- Women's Transformative Leadership
Somalia hasn’t been in the news much in the past couple of years – which is largely good news – but just because there aren’t headlines doesn’t mean there isn’t…
by alvaro | August 5, 2015
Hard choices in South Sudan: food or clean water?
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Water
An end to the fighting would go a long way toward solving the challenges so many families now face in meeting their basic needs. In South Sudan, only 55…
by alvaro | July 24, 2015
Happy Eid – from Yemen
- Advocacy in Canada
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Violence Against Women and Girls
Eid is upon us. But it doesn’t feel like Eid. Fighting in Yemen has not ceased throughout the month of Ramadan – in fact it intensified. The upcoming holiday is…
by alvaro | July 16, 2015
Gaza's youth using art to overcome the scars of war
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
Last summer, 16 year old Eba'a Hamouda watched terrified as the bombs fell all around her in Gaza. Since then she has used her love of drawing and writing to…
by alvaro | July 7, 2015
Yemen: Women get on their bikes for their rights
- Advocacy in Canada
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Violence Against Women and Girls
- Women's Transformative Leadership
Amidst bombings and shortages in fuel, food and vital supplies, a group of Yemeni women came together for an unconventional demonstration against the war… and the lack of women’s rights.…
by alvaro | July 6, 2015
In Focus: Syria, World Refugee Day
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
Written by: Adeline Guerra, Regional Campaigns and Communications adviser Children hide behind water tanks while clothes dry outside flimsy tents in the Mediterranean sunshine. We have arrived at a refugee…
by alvaro | June 20, 2015
Nepal earthquake was 'single most frightening experience of my life'
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Natural Disasters
By Lisa Rutherford (press office, Oxfam Great Britain) The 7.9 magnitude earthquake on 25th April left the country reeling, killing over 8,000 people, injuring more than 18,000 and leaving 2.8 million…
by alvaro | May 19, 2015
Fostering gender equality in emergencies
- Emergency Response
- Natural Disasters
- Violence Against Women and Girls
- Women's Transformative Leadership
Written by Sarah Rooney, Oxfam Canada’s intern and 3rd year law student at University of Ottawa. As we see the poignant images coming out of Nepal’s catastrophic earthquake, it’s important…
by alvaro | May 1, 2015
3 things to know about how we’re helping in Nepal
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Natural Disasters
- Water
1. As of today, many people are still in dire need. The earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25 may be over, but survivors still face serious hardships. The quake…
by alvaro | April 30, 2015
Nepal's road to recovery
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Natural Disasters
- Women's Transformative Leadership
By Shaheen ChughtaiOxfam’s Deputy Head of Humanitarian Policy and Campaigns Kathmandu was ever a disaster-in-waiting. The densely populated capital of one of the world’s poorest countries clings to the slopes…
by alvaro | April 26, 2015
Oxfam in Cuba: Helping women farmers cultivate more than just crops
- Advocacy in Canada
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Natural Disasters
- Women's Transformative Leadership
“We feel like leaders”, “I am no longer the same”, “We are together now”, “we know we can do it” – these are the voices of women leading the urban…
by alvaro | April 23, 2015
Yemen Crisis: A view from the ground
- Advocacy in Canada
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Women's Transformative Leadership
An Oxfam staff worker has written a blog about what life has been like in Yemen for the past week. She is based in Sanaa. Oxfam has been working in…
by alvaro | April 16, 2015
Local ceasefires could be a path to peace in Syria
Emergency Response
Syrian civil society leader and astrophysicist Rim Turkmani may live in the UK, where she is raising her young children while juggling her academic duties with her peacebuilding activities, but…
by alvaro | March 24, 2015
My only thought was that this is the end
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
A week ago when Cyclone Pam hit, families in Etas did their best to hide from the ferocious storm, taking shelter in small churches and in neighbours’ homes that were…
by Amy Christian | March 23, 2015
Why mobilizing women’s leadership is critical to disaster risk reduction
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
Women are often disproportionately affected by disasters, due to gender inequality and discrimination, and women’s leadership is critical in efforts to address the mounting challenge of rising disasters around the…
by Shafqat Munir | March 16, 2015
Ask world leaders to act now #withSyria
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
Four years since it began, the Syrian crisis continues to deepen, and the human suffering is greater than ever before. Women and children are particularly affected by the violence. Satellite…
by alvaro | March 14, 2015
Stormy weather: why we should all care about disaster risk reduction
Emergency Response
Climate change is gathering intensity around the world, and all of us should pay close attention to the global gathering in Sendai Japan where experts and world leaders debate how…
by Ann Witteveen | March 14, 2015
Vanuatu: impassioned plea at Sendai
Emergency Response
This morning, the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), the world’s biggest event in over a decade aimed at tackling the devastating impacts of hazard events on lives, livelihoods…
by Ben Murphy | March 14, 2015
Mariam - Building hope out of shattered lives
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
Mariam, 33, mother of five, gazes out of her tent at the snow capped mountains and the icy mud encircling the dwellings in the informal camp where she settled with…
by alvaro | March 11, 2015
Noor - A Syrian Refugee Teaching Hope
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
Noor, 30, fled the war in Syria with her handicapped husband and two children, a girl, 4, and a boy, 3. She is a teacher by training and has set…
by alvaro | March 11, 2015
Syria: A stain on the conscience of the world
Emergency Response
By Daniel Gorevan Ignored Security Council resolutions, escalating conflict and political inertia: Syria’s suffering civilians deserve better. Enormous numbers have had to flee violence in Syria. People of all political…
by alvaro | March 11, 2015
Rebecca's story, South Sudan
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
Eight years ago, Rebecca Elija moved to South Sudan with her father and little sister, leaving the rest of the family in Khartoum, Sudan. Although she has been in part…
by alvaro | March 5, 2015
Mary's story, South Sudan
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
Make It Happen: Stories From south sudan Mary's story “The first thing I share on the radio is the message of peace”Mary Nyidur – Journalist, Radio presenter, Minkaman “Life…
by alvaro | March 5, 2015
Stella's story, South Sudan
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
Make It Happen: Stories From south sudan Stella's story “I hope that I don’t continue writing about war and destruction. I want peace to come so that I can write…
by alvaro | March 5, 2015
Ebola - How the crisis affects men and women differently
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
By Ann Witteveen Aid organizations and staff have long known that humanitarian crises affect men and women differently, depending on their roles in society and the particular nature of the…
by alvaro | February 5, 2015
Ten years on: A fishing community remembers Oxfam
Emergency Response
December 26, 2014 marks the 10 year anniversary of the 9.1 Richter Scale earthquake that struck the western coast of the Indonesian province of Northern Sumatra. It was the third…
by Oxfam Canada | December 18, 2014
Ebola: Life on the other side of the line
Emergency Response
Life on the other side of the line The challenges of Ebola quarantines in Freetown and how Oxfam is helping By Melanie Gallant When working in communications and media relations,…
by alvaro | December 6, 2014
Agnes Nyantie: Fighting Ebola door-to-door
Emergency Response
Agnes Nyantie’s unassuming manner hides a spirit that will be key in overcoming Liberia’s Ebola crisis. The 42 year old mother of five goes on her daily door to…
by alvaro | November 5, 2014
"I love my people and I do not want them to die"
Emergency Response
Alima Jamboria is a Community Health Worker and Chairperson of the Community. I'm a Community Health Worker in Tengeh Town Community. We learnt how to wash hands properly because that…
by alvaro | October 23, 2014
Ebola - the Invisible Foe
Emergency Response
Ebola is with us – here and now. It is an invisible foe. It is transmitted through bodily fluids, like sweat, saliva, blood and urine. Living in Liberia right now…
by alvaro | October 21, 2014
First she kept her own family together. Then she became a spokesperson for family farmers around the world.
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
First she kept her own family together. Then she became a spokesperson for family farmers around the world. Many of us are fortunate enough to be able to choose our…
by alvaro | October 20, 2014
Ending Hunger, One Step at a Time
Emergency Response
“I see the climate is changing a lot. Before it wasn’t like this.” Climate change is already having an impact on the ability of communities to feed themselves – communities…
by alvaro | October 17, 2014
7 big questions about Ebola, answered
Emergency Response
Blog originaly published by Oxfam America As the Ebola outbreak in West Africa continues to claim lives and now ranks as the largest in history, here are answers to some…
by Oxfam Canada | October 15, 2014
Support for Women Farmers Could Help us Beat Hunger
Emergency Response
Blog post by Winnie Byanyima – Oxfam International’s Executive Director Across South Asia and Southeast Asia, millions of small family farms are the bedrock of national food security. But the…
by alvaro | October 15, 2014
Responding to the largest Ebola outbreak in history
Emergency Response
Almost 3,000 people have died and there are more than 5,000 other suspected and confirmed Ebola cases. People infected with Ebola have a 50 percent chance of survival, and there…
by alvaro | September 24, 2014
Palestinian refugees from Syria: A story of perpetual displacement
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
Bright peeled paint covers humidity stains on the walls. An old bed has been pushed into a corner. Thin mattresses are strewn on the floor. Clothes hang on a lonely…
by alvaro | September 9, 2014
Syrian refugees in Jordan: ‘A bomb flattened our brand new home’
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
“To reach the Jordanian border, we walked for more than an hour at night. I was holding my 2-months old son tightly, my heart pounding with fear. When I got…
by alvaro | September 9, 2014
Video: Delivering safe water in Gaza
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Water
Despite the ceasefire, there remain enormous humanitarian needs in Gaza. The bombing of the past seven weeks has caused massive damage to water supplies. Hundreds of thousands of people are…
by alvaro | September 5, 2014
Delivering safe water despite the danger
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
In Gaza, delivering safe water is filled with danger. “I’ve heard the sound of explosions while driving from one shelter to another. I feared that the next bomb would fall…
by alvaro | August 25, 2014
Ebola: How Oxfam is responding in Liberia
Emergency Response
By Cathy Stephen I am the Technical Advisor for the Liberia WASH Consortium, a group of six international NGOs, managed by Oxfam, working together to provide and advocate for water…
by alvaro | August 22, 2014
Gaza tech startup incubator devastated by shelling
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
When people think of Gaza, they rarely think of a hub of technological innovation. But for the past few years Oxfam has been working with Gaza’s University College of Applied…
by Oxfam Canada | August 20, 2014
Controlled arms: Oxfam’s hope for the next World Humanitarian Day
- Advocacy in Canada
- Emergency Response
by Martin Butcher Around 1,500 people a day are killed in conflicts and armed violence across the globe, and among that loss are humanitarian aid workers who were trying to…
by alvaro | August 19, 2014
Getting water to Zaatari during drought season
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
Children who, in their native Syria, used to play water games and swim, are now sitting listlessly under the shade to protect themselves from the blistering sun. In Jordan, a…
by Oxfam Canada | August 19, 2014
What does it mean to be a humanitarian?
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
“Rather than being a human, be a humanitarian” ― Kowtham Kumar K Today, August 19th, is World Humanitarian Day. Currently, Oxfam is responding to over 35 humanitarian crises around the…
by alvaro | August 19, 2014
South Sudan, one of the most challenging places to be a humanitarian
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
On World Humanitarian Day Pieter Struijf, Oxfam’s Program Manager for Jonglei, writes about the challenges of delivering aid in rural South Sudan and the crucial role played by the local…
by alvaro | August 19, 2014
Six year olds in Gaza live through their third war
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
An entire generation of children in Gaza is growing up like Salama, knowing little but airstrikes and destruction. The UN estimates that at least 360,000 children in Gaza will need…
by alvaro | August 12, 2014
A mobile clinic brings healthcare to families who have lost everything
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
We tell our children that schools are places where they can make their hopes and dreams come true. But today in Gaza, schools have become places of desperation – a…
by Arwa Mhanna | August 11, 2014
Gaza's harvest at risk
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
After nearly a month of bombardment, Gaza’s food supplies are running low and an entire year’s harvest is at risk. In many markets, fresh food and vegetables are scarce. Cucumbers,…
by Oxfam Canada | August 9, 2014
South Sudan at 3: A tenuous shelter behind razor wire
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
by Aimee Brown Today marks South Sudan’s third year of independence. But in the past seven months, the sense of unity that brought its people together in 2011 has been…
by alvaro | July 9, 2014
What’s really in your morning bowl of cereal?
- Advocacy in Canada
- Emergency Response
by Àngela Corbalán Palm oil is everywhere, in food and everyday items you don’t even realize. It’s in your morning bowl of cereal, your afternoon biscuits, your dinner pizza, in…
by alvaro | July 3, 2014
"Have faith in Syrian women. We can do anything."
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
Jenny Enarsson, Oxfam's Syria crisis response gender advisor, explains why including Syria's women in negotiations is critical for the peace process. A few days after the high-profile summit on ending…
by alvaro | June 26, 2014
World needs to get off the bench and get in the game on resolving conflict in Africa
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
by Winnie Byanyima As famous footballers from across the globe are competing for the World Cup in Brazil, millions of fans from Africa are among the 3.2 billion tuning in…
by alvaro | June 23, 2014
Oxfam in Cuba: Learning, innovation and putting it all together
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
A group of Oxfam executive directors and board chairs recently took to the fields of Cuba, traveling with the Oxfam in Cuba team to Holguin, east of Havana. The bus…
by alvaro | June 3, 2014
My Children are my strength
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
by Dorah Ntunga Last December, Nyakuoth was living happily in South Sudan, with her husband and five children. At 27 years-old, one of Nyakuoth’s wishes was to one day visit…
by alvaro | May 9, 2014
Preventing a crisis in Somalia becoming a catastrophe
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
by Ed Pomfret New emergencies seem to hit the world on a monthly basis. Right now we are grappling with situations in the DRC, South Sudan, Sudan, Central African Republic…
by alvaro | May 7, 2014
After Haiyan – moving in the right direction?
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
by Caroline Gluck When typhoon Haiyan hit the central Philippines last November, killing more than 6,000 people and destroying millions of people’s houses and livelihoods, people like fisherman Lionel Advincula,…
by alvaro | April 30, 2014
How agribusiness is failing small farmers in Latin America
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
- Natural Disasters
by Stephanie Burgos, Oxfam America As international negotiations on what constitutes responsible agricultural investment are set to get underway in Rome next month under the auspices of the UN’s Committee…
by alvaro | April 24, 2014
South Sudan: A New Country in Crisis
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
by Ann Witteveen I was last in Juba in South Sudan in February 1999. At that time, it was a northern held town in southern Sudan and there was only…
by alvaro | April 22, 2014
An amazing display of solidarity #WithSyria!
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
What an amazing display of support for the #WithSyria campaign for the third anniversary of the Syria crisis – congratulations one and all for a truly moving display of solidarity!…
by Oxfam | March 20, 2014
Children’s hopes for the future of Syria take to the skies to mark the third anniversary of the crisis
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
As the third anniversary of the Syria crisis approaches, it is impossible not to be affected by the plight of millions of children caught in the cross-fire, fleeing with families…
by alvaro | March 13, 2014
Banksy creates a new image of hope to stand #WithSyria
- Advocacy in Canada
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
Popular British graffiti artist Banksy has shown his support for the #WithSyria campaign by reworking his iconic image of a little girl with a balloon, entitled “There is Always Hope“,…
by alvaro | March 11, 2014
Toward limiting the threat of violence against women in the South Sudan crisis
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
When I touch the sensitive subject of security, all I see is discomfort and eyes wandering off to avoid mine. On Friday (21 February) I met with another young woman,…
by alvaro | February 24, 2014
Time for change: UN Security Council demands humanitarian access across Syria
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
“This resolution should not have been necessary”, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon told the 15 member states of the UN Security Council on their unanimous adoption of a resolution…
by alvaro | February 24, 2014
South Sudan: World's youngest nation in crisis
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
by Farah Karimi Welcome to the youngest nation in the world, South Sudan. A place burdened with a violent and painful history of armed combat for independence, and the poorest…
by alvaro | February 18, 2014
South Sudan: Signs of hope amongst the violence
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
“Even if peace would come, we cannot return home. We are not safe.” These words, spoken by a grandmother who I met at an IDP camp in South Sudan, demonstrate…
by alvaro | February 17, 2014
Division is plunging Central African Republic into food crisis
- Emergency Response
- Hunger
by Steve Cockburn Moussa – not his real name – stood with his last pile of groundnuts, just one of three traders left in a vast, empty market that, before…
by alvaro | February 14, 2014
The Geneva II peace process for Syria - reflections from the shore of Lake Geneva
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
by Shaheen Chughtai, Oxfam Great Britain Nestling between picturesque snow-capped mountains and the shimmering waters of Lake Geneva lies the Swiss town of Montreux, which hosted the opening day of…
by alvaro | February 12, 2014
8 inspiring selfies from the Philippines
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
by Anna Kramer, Oxfam America Oxfam invited typhoon survivors to share their self-portraits. The results aren’t what you’d expect. Be honest: raise your hand if you haven’t taken a selfie…
by Oxfam | February 10, 2014
The art of saying "Thank you"
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
by Jane Beesley We might feel aggrieved when we’ve gone out of our way to do something for someone and receive no word of thanks afterwards. I’m sure most of…
by Oxfam | February 8, 2014
Geneva II peace talks: Syrian women and civil society must be heard
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
There is something almost surreal about the setting for the Syrian peace talks. Montreux is breathtakingly beautiful, the snow-topped Swiss Alps rising starkly over Lake Geneva. Yet this is where…
by alvaro | January 23, 2014
Syria peace talks: A time for hope
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
Things are heating up in Montreux, on Lake Geneva in Switzerland, where Oxfam campaigners are amongst the hundreds of diplomats, journalists, civil society and solidarity groups gathering for the beginning…
by alvaro | January 22, 2014
In South Sudan, escalating violence again ensnares citizens
- Conflict and War
- Emergency Response
by Grace Cahill Not yet three years old and only beginning to know what peace feels like, the world’s newest country—South Sudan—is again in the throes of extreme violence. Since…
by alvaro | January 17, 2014
Human rights in crisis in 2013: Oxfam was there
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
We witnessed a continuing barrage of natural disasters, such as floods, hurricanes and cyclones. And conflicts around the world have again torn apart the lives of millions of people, trapping…
by alvaro | January 14, 2014
The simple saw helps the Philippines recover the "tree of life"
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
Typhoon Haiyan caused widespread damage to livelihoods. Among the worst affected, was coconut farming with millions of trees being uprooted, damaged or destroyed. One coconut farmers association estimated the damage…
by alvaro | January 9, 2014
Typhoon Haiyan: Rebuilding a just and resilient society
Emergency Response
This post was written by Lan Mercado, Oxfam’s Deputy Regional Director in Asia. She served as Oxfam’s Country Director in the Philippines from 2001-2009. It was written with contributions from…
by alvaro | December 13, 2013
Oxfam rice seed distribution in the Philippines
Emergency Response
Oxfam started distributing 400 tons of rice seeds in six rural municipalities south of Tacloban on 12 December 2013, to help farmers win their ‘race against time’ to avoid missing…
by alvaro | December 12, 2013
Syria's refugees: Surviving through the kindness of strangers
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
It was the kindness of strangers. When Aziz fled from the Syrian conflict to Lebanon, he heard about a farmer who allowed Syrian refugees to camp on his land. “How…
by alvaro | December 9, 2013
Rising from the rubble in the Philippines
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
By Cherian Matthews, Regional Director of Oxfam in Asia I have just returned from the typhoon-ravaged areas of Daanbantayan and Bantayan Island in Cebu province of the Philippines. When I…
by alvaro | November 26, 2013
Why aid delivery isn’t instant — and ways it could be faster
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
By Abbi Luz Note: This is a shorter version of the original blog, which can be found at theabsterabbi.com When Oxfam’s rapid assessment teams came back from Leyte and Eastern…
by alvaro | November 20, 2013
Already donated to the Philippines typhoon appeal? Here are 5 other ways you can help
Emergency Response
The response we’ve had to the Philippines typhoon has been phenomenal so far, but we’ve also had a number of you get in touch asking if you can do anything…
by alvaro | November 14, 2013
Philippines typhoon: In search of safe water to drink
Emergency Response
Oxfam’s early assessment team has sent through this report from Cebu island, Philippines. Meet the Mondejar sisters: Nelia, Sarah Jane and Rizza Mae. The sisters and their friends are all…
by alvaro | November 13, 2013
One million child refugees?! Four reasons we need Syria Peace Talks now
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
by Joel Bassuk Amidst the horrific images (which I’ll not link to here) coming out of Syria this week, the UN has announced that more than one million children from…
by alvaro | August 23, 2013
How solar power is helping Syrian refugees
- Advocacy in Canada
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
by Anna Kramer, Oxfam America Look closely at the photo above. Notice anything different about those lampposts? In fact, the lights in the background of the photo—which was taken in…
by alvaro | August 10, 2013
Liqaa’ is a friend of mine
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
Meet Liqaa. She’s a 23 year old English literature graduate from Syria. She’s recently married, and expecting her first child soon. She’s also the face of a new global…
by alvaro | July 29, 2013
It’s no accident
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
by Ann Witteveen Since 1970 the number of people exposed to floods and tropical cyclones has doubled and the latest climate science indicates worse to come. Volatility in food…
by alvaro | May 23, 2013
Could you live on 30 litres of water a day?
- Advocacy in Canada
- Emergency Response
by Melissa Ekdom-Delorme Saturday evening I spent reconfiguring my toilet to a 4L flush and filling small bottles and jugs of water carefully portioned for drinking and cleaning. I was…
by Oxfam Canada | May 10, 2013
Somalia 2013 Conference: "You can’t wash your face using only one finger"
- Advocacy in Canada
- Emergency Response
- Women's Transformative Leadership
Last week the UN revealed for the first time that more than a quarter of a million people died in Somalia over 18 months from October 2010-April 2012. These…
by alvaro | May 8, 2013
Helping Syrian refugees with disabilities in Jordan’s camp Za’atari
- Advocacy in Canada
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
April 2013 – Adapting to life in Jordan’s sprawling desert refugee camp, Za’atari, is hard for all refugees, but especially so for those with disabilities and special needs. …
by alvaro | April 17, 2013
Syrian refugee influx adding to Jordan’s water worries
- Advocacy in Canada
- Emergency Response
- Refugees and Internal Displacement
A short distance from Zaatari, a sprawling camp for Syrian refugees, lies a road full of small nurseries growing vegetables and olive trees. Khaled runs one of them. These…
by alvaro | April 11, 2013
Go behind the brands you buy
- Advocacy in Canada
- Emergency Response
- Violence Against Women and Girls
What do Toblerone and Tropicana have in common? The same as Coca-Cola, Cheerios and Cadbury’s and Oreos, Pringles and Pop Tarts. They’re all made by the “Big 10” food…
by alvaro | February 26, 2013