Author: Oxfam Media Unit

Oxfam welcomed today’s Post-Copenhagen Prospectus, announced by Ed Miliband but is disappointed that he failed to promise that the $30bn immediate funding – known as Fast Track Finance – pledged in Copenhagen would be new money and not raided from aid budgets

Oxfam also urged the UK to show greater ambition on EU emissions reductions by pushing for 40 per cent on 1990 levels by 2020 instead of the 30 per cent target contained in the document.

Oxfam’s Campaigns and Policy Director Phil Bloomer said: “The UK’s willingness to take on another round of legally-binding emissions reductions under the Kyoto Protocol is welcome as it could help restore trust among developing countries who got no such assurances in Copenhagen. Its support for ongoing negotiations under the UN is also positive.

“Support for Fast Track Finance is good news, but robbing the poor to help the poor is no solution to the millions of vulnerable people around the world already struggling against the odds and now facing the growing challenges of climate change.

“Diverting money previously ear-marked for building hospitals and schools in poor communities only pays lip-service to the problem.”

/ Ends

For interviews or further information contact Lucy Brinicombe +44 (0)1865 472192 / +44 (0)7786 110054 / [email protected]

As donors meet at a crucial conference in New York (31 March) to pledge hundreds of millions of dollars for reconstruction in quake-devastated Haiti, Oxfam has been asking ordinary Haitians what they really need.

Jobs. Schools. Homes. These are the top priorities now for Haitians desperate to get their country back on its feet following January’s devastating earthquake. Those are the results of a survey of 1,700 people carried out by an independent Haitian polling consultant and funded by Oxfam. And we’re using the short video below at the New York conference so that ordinary Haitians have the chance to put their case in their own words:

Footage for this video was recorded on 12 March 2010 by film students from the Cine Institute in Jacmel (Haiti’s only film school) in partnership with Oxfam and FilmAid.

More on the Haiti survey

Haiti earthquake: Oxfam’s response

Oxfam briefing note: Haiti’s once-in-a-century chance for change

 Oxfam is calling for Gordon Brown to take a big step in tackling climate change before the General Election at the first High Level Advisory Group meeting in London tomorrow (31).

The UK Prime Minister will be co-chairing the group set up by the UN Secretary General last month to identify innovative sources of financing, so that the $100bn a year by 2020 pledged by world leaders in Copenhagen can be met.

The international aid agency says the meeting must make progress in identifying the best sources of finance to help governments in poor countries tackle climate change. Options already on the table include implementing a carbon price for international transport, a tax on financial transactions – the Robin Hood Tax – or through innovative uses of governments’ savings at the International Monetary Fund. The group must produce a draft report in time for the Bonn climate talks in June and complete its work in time for this year’s climate conference in Mexico in November.

Oxfam’s Campaigns and Policy director Phil Bloomer said: “Gordon Brown has a real chance to move the world closer towards tackling climate change. He must push the group towards making clear recommendations in time for Mexico so that the most effective ways to generate funds are developed to help the millions of people urgently needing support.”

The IMF estimates that 60 per cent of climate finance required by developing countries should come from public sources, including taxes or levies on carbon and polluting activities. Public finance is crucial as important projects like building sea walls, reservoirs and infrastructure are unlikely to be attractive to private investors. The innovative sources already identified mean that this public money does not need to be drawn from national budgets.

Bloomer said: “Mr Brown should focus the group on raising public funds so that the millions of vulnerable people already living with the reality of climate change can be protected from its increasingly challenging impacts. This is an opportunity for Gordon Brown and other members of the group to begin delivering practical solutions to the world’s biggest crisis.”

/Ends

As Ministers, delegates and aid organisations meet in New York this week to discuss the reconstruction effort for Haiti following the devastating 12 January earthquake, the people of Haiti say they want jobs to be their path toward rebuilding. In a survey of over 1700 people carried out by an independent Haitian polling consultant and funded by international agency Oxfam, Haitians most pressing needs are jobs (26 per cent), schools (22 per cent) and homes (10 per cent). Haitians in the survey also expressed little confidence in their government’s capacity to unilaterally lead the reconstruction plan to be agreed upon in New York this week. Instead, they believe a combination of the central government and Haitian civil society or a foreign government is best placed to implement the reconstruction plan.

These opinions are the result of an extensive one-on-one survey of Haitians of different age groups, socio-economic status and location, the full results of which will be available in April. Haitians shared their views on issues ranging from aid effectiveness, leadership of the reconstruction effort and what should be prioritised for the New York conference. The consultant undertook the study between March 9-12 in various neighborhoods in Leogane and the capital Port-au-Prince, including Pétion-Ville, Delmas and Carrefour.

“Haitians are telling us loud and clear that they want to get back on their feet and start working for the reconstruction of their country. Ensuring that the people of Haiti can return to work must be at the top of the list for the New York conference and beyond. Haitians are not expecting charity; they want to get jobs, to educate their kids and to make sure they have a roof over their heads at night. As a community, we should be able to do this,” said Marcel Stoessel, Chief of Mission of Oxfam in Haiti.

Haitians also expressed their opinions on the relief effort following the 12 January quake and the overall performance of agencies on the ground. Despite recent criticism on the effectiveness of their overall response, over 60 per cent of people surveyed thought the quality and efficiency of aid distribution by international NGOs was positive. Over 70 per cent praised the actions of foreign governments during the post-earthquake relief period. Many people did not give an opinion on the effectiveness of aid distribution, showing the gaps and misunderstandings about such a massive aid operation.

“It’s understandable that people feel anxious about their own government response. The international community should do everything it can to help the Haitian government back on its feet. There can be no durable reconstruction without the government,” said Philippe Mathieu, a native of Haiti and Country Director of Oxfam-Quebec.

In a separate report published last week, Oxfam recommended that the Haitian government and its people be central to the reconstruction effort. Oxfam says the strengthening of the central government will be essential so that all levels of Haitian society, ranging from media to local charities to farmers associations, can participate openly in the decision-making and implementation process.

In its report “Haiti: A Once-in-a-Century Chance for Change”, Oxfam calls on governments and international lenders to urgently prioritise sanitation and shelter needs.

With heavy rains expected to arrive next month and with over one million people still living in extremely precarious conditions, Oxfam gives a sobering assessment of the immense challenge that awaits the country in the weeks ahead. In the report, the aid agency notes that a full registration of displaced people has yet been done. Also, neither the government nor the international community has yet truly engaged and consulted with local groups – in displaced camps or within city neighborhoods – that have shown tremendous leadership following the 12 January quake.

Oxfam says the overall coordination and leadership of all agencies, including NGOs, on the ground must improve, including between the central government and the United Nations. It calls on the New York Conference to give all stakeholders involved a clear direction for the future of Haiti.

“The funding mechanism that will be decided cannot hamper efforts to get Haitians back on their feet. We want a system guaranteeing that the reconstruction and recovery processes are on track effectively,” said Stoessel.

Ends

***NOTE: The opinions expressed and shared in the survey are those of the people only. They are not the positions of Oxfam International.

Watch a video filmed by Haitians in Jacmel with FilmAid and Oxfam / download

View a photo project of Jeremy Cowart, a photographer who teamed up with Oxfam for an exhibit at the United Nations for the New York Conference. Cowart’s work, shot only days after the 12 January earthquake, captured the strength, hope and spirit of Haitians.

Haiti: A Once-in-a-Century Chance for Change

Considering your needs and those of your family, what should be the three priorities for the reconstruction of the country? Choose three.

After the earthquake of January 12th, various national and international organisations brought relief to affected families. How do you evaluate the quality and the distribution of aid for each of these organisations?

A report on the experiences of Oxfam field staff working in the Al Mazrakh camp of Northern Yemen, where a ceasefire has brought renewed optimism to displaced locals longing to return home.

Construction of water tanks at Al Mazrakh camp. Photo: Caroline Berger/Oxfam

In the mountainous regions of Northern Yemen, just next door to the country’s main fighting zone, a fragile calm has descended. The clamour of nearby gunfire has been temporarily halted and replaced by an uneasy silence. Inside Al Mazrakh camp, hopes are high that the ceasefire declared on 11 February will hold and that people will soon be able to rebuild their lives.

However, a new threat has been posed in the wake of the ceasefire – landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO).  Last week, 5 year-old Saad was badly injured after playing with a UXO, mistakenly thinking it was a harmless toy.

For many, the road to recovery is made perilous by landmines, which continue to claim the lives of people in and around Sa’ada governorate. Mahmoud Fayir tells me, “After the ceasefire, I decided to return to my village but it was strewn with mines. I’m afraid they’ll explode. I can’t go back.” Landmines are preventing many people, like Mahmoud, from returning home.

For now, people are still dependent on humanitarian aid and we’re continuing our relief efforts to help around 15,000 men, women and children find shelter in the Al Mazrakh camps.

Just a few months ago, Al Mazrakh Camp 1 was stretched almost beyond its capacity, groaning under a steady stream of new arrivals. However, since the opening of two new camps nearby, this tented city has been replaced by an orderly matrix of shelters. In these narrow alleys, resilient Yemeni women and children continue bravely to go about their daily lives, slowly adapting to the changing landscape.

Since our work began, each household now has access to their own latrine and women no longer have to compromise their privacy. For the thousands of people like Ahmed, 55, whose only source of water was 30 kms away, we’ve constructed a supply system that will secure a constant source of clean water. In a country plagued by water shortages (Sa’ana, for example, is expected to be the first capital city in the modern world to run out of water), finding a steady supply is a real drain on people’s time and energy.

Ahmed tells me, “I have six children to look after. Twice a day I’d have to walk for half an hour to collect water from the nearby well. Sometimes, it had dried up. I’m grateful to Oxfam for providing us with this water tank. Now I only have to walk for five minutes and we have a constant supply of water.”

Near to the camp, the Al Mazrakh market is bustling with people searching for bargains beneath the setting sun. As the day winds to a close, the camp positively glows in the dusk as Yemeni women prepare fires for the evening meal. In the fading light, groups of men play their last game of nard (a traditional board game similar to backgammon) and discuss when they will be able to go home for good.

The blogger has not been identified for security reasons.

Where we work: Yemen

Thomas Schultz-Jagow, Oxfam Campaigns Director, said: “The Chancellor’s proposal for a global bank tax falls well short of a Robin Hood Tax on financial transactions that would raise the hundreds of billions needed to help poor people at home and abroad hit by the economic crisis and tackle climate change.

“The Chancellor’s opposition to a unilateral bank tax is plain wrong. Robin Hood gathered his merry men by leading from the front not by waiting for global agreement.”

Further information: Jon Slater +44 (0)1865 472249/+44 (0)7876 476403

Band to release a third single through Oxfam shops on 22 March

Following the phenomenal success of ‘Crying Lightning’ and ‘Cornerstone’, the 7″ and 10″ of which were available exclusively through Oxfam shops, Arctic Monkeys are once again teaming up with the charity for the follow-up single ‘My Propeller’.

The single marks the first time a charity has distributed a series of releases by a major artist, and reflects the changing face of music distribution over the last few years.

The limited-edition ‘My Propeller’ 10″ goes on sale exclusively in 148 Oxfam shops across the UK on Monday 22 March. The record is the third single from the recent number one album Humbug, and features new track ‘Joining The Dots’ as well as exclusive B-sides ‘The Afternoon’s Hat’ and ‘Don’t Forget Whose Legs You’re On’.

The ‘Crying Lightning’ 7″ sold approximately 10,000 copies in just a few weeks, making it one of the biggest-selling vinyl singles so far this century. Sales of ‘Crying Lightning’ bucked the industry trend for 7″ sales, which have more than halved since 2007, and currently command just a 0.4% market share¹.

‘Cornerstone’ sold out in Oxfam shops and online in just a couple of weeks.

The ‘My Propeller’ 10″ costs £4.99, and each single comes with a download code allowing fans to get an MP3 version of the songs for free.

Domino and Arctic Monkeys are also calling on music fans to bring any unwanted albums or singles to their local Oxfam shop to help Oxfam keep turning yesterday’s hits into vital funds for years to come.

David McCullough, Oxfam’s director of trading, said:

“The partnership with Domino and Arctic Monkeys has broken new ground for us, and we’re delighted to be continuing it.

“But ‘My Propeller’ isn’t the only music exclusive in Oxfam shops – every shop has its own unique stock of music. As everyone from DJs to vinyl aficionados knows, our shops are one of the best places on the high street to pick up hidden treasures.”

Oxfam has an illustrious musical history spanning decades:

• More than 600 Oxfam shops across the country sell second-hand music – double the total number of independent record shops in the UK².
• The charity sells approximately £6 million of music every year, enough to fund its entire programme in Indonesia for a year, buy 187,000 emergency shelters, or provide safe water for eight million people.
• Oxfam sells around 1.8 million CDs and records every year, all donated by the British public. The largest single donation was of 4,000 vinyl albums to an Oxfam shop in Devon in 2008.
• The charity’s Oxjam festival has raised more than £1 million through 3,000 events featuring more than 36,000 musicians, including Jarvis Cocker, Fatboy Slim, and Hot Chip.

To find your nearest Oxfam shop stocking ‘My Propeller’, or to order a copy online, visit www.oxfam.org.uk/arcticmonkeys.

The Arctic Monkeys are currently on tour in the USA and Mexico, with dates running until 22 April.

– Ends –

Notes to editors

¹ According to BPI figures for vinyl sales 1999-2008.

² There are 305 independent record shops in the UK, according to 2008 figures from the Entertainment Retailers Association.

For more information, images, or to arrange an interview with a spokesperson from Oxfam or Domino, please contact:

Stuart Fowkes

Oxfam press office

01865 472254 / 07818 406038 / [email protected]

Colleen Maloney

Domino Records

0208 875 4007 / 07764 938027 / [email protected]

Statement from Oxfam, Christian Aid and CAFOD, 17 March 2010

Aid money sent to Ethiopia in the mid eighties saved hundreds of thousands of lives. The British public should feel justifiably proud of the very generous contribution they made to this.

Assertions made by a TPLF former commander in a recent BBC investigation that the majority of aid money to Tigray in 1985 was used for arms or political purposes are incorrect. When Ethiopia was struck by one of the worst famines in history amid heavy conflict twenty-five years ago, agencies including Oxfam, Christian Aid, CAFOD and others sought to save the lives of distressed and starving people under difficult circumstances.

We are confident that aid got to millions of people who needed it. It would be wrong to claim that no money was ever diverted in such a situation of active conflict.  However, the uncorroborated allegation, made by a former rebel leader in the BBC report, that 95 percent of $100 million aid for famine victims in Tigray in 1985 was misused is grossly inflated. There is no credible evidence that this figure – or any figure remotely close to it – is accurate.

We welcome public scrutiny of aid distribution and media investigations including those by the BBC.  The public can and should always demand that aid reaches the people who need it, that responses are faster and more coordinated and ultimately that the international community put maximum effort into preventing such emergencies from happening in the first place.  In 1984-5 and today, we are fully dedicated to uphold these standards in our mission to end poverty worldwide

Oxfam’s activities in Ethiopia in 1984-1985
In 1984/5, Oxfam itself spent over £5.6 million on aid for Tigray, which was then controlled by rebels, as well as more than £10.3 million in government-controlled Ethiopia. Oxfam’s monitoring system at that time consisted of spot checks on aid distributions made by REST (the humanitarian arm of the then rebel group in Tigray), interviews with people who had fled the region and had little sympathy for REST political affiliations, and more than a dozen major assessments of  the rebel areas in Ethiopia. Oxfam took all these steps to minimize the possibility of aid relief being abused for military or political purposes. Most aid was given as food, seeds and tools, rather than cash, which also reduced the risks of abuse.  Oxfam’s monitoring teams found no systematic or wide scale diversion of aid but it would be impossible to say that no aid was misused in such difficult circumstances.
The humanitarian aid sector continues to improve its standards and accountability. When Oxfam operates in war zones and conflict areas to help people in great need, we insist on stringent monitoring and evaluation of all our work to ensure that we make the best possible use of money given to us. We constantly work to improve our effectiveness. Large scale aid projects are subject to an independent review to ensure value for money and to learn lessons that will improve our future programmes. Our monitoring and evaluation policy and results of our reviews are in the public domain (www.oxfam.org.uk/resources/evaluations/)
 
There is more to be done in Ethiopia to overcome the underlying causes of suffering and hunger but progress has been made. As in every country in the world, aid agencies should always be vigilant to ensure that all their aid is used effectively to reduce poverty and meet urgent humanitarian needs. In the recent Global Hunger Index of all developing countries, Ethiopia was shown to be in the top five performers in alleviating hunger since 1990 in absolute terms. The proportion of children completing primary school has more than doubled since 2000. There are many challenges, but, supported by the generosity of the British public, things are improving and they will continue to do so?” 

For more information please contact

Tricia O’Rourke
[email protected] / +44 (0)1865 472498 / +44 (0)7920 596358

Oxfam calls for urgent response to warning signs, citing delays that cost lives last time the region faced a severe food shortfall

Almost 10 million people across the Sahel region of West Africa are threatened with a severe food shortage, international aid agency Oxfam said today. The worst affected country is Niger where 8 million people are at risk. Some 2 million people are threatened in Chad and a substantial number of people are expected to be affected in Mali in the coming months. Parts of Nigeria and Burkina Faso are also at risk.

The agency called upon developed countries to respond urgently to the early warning of impending disaster, citing delays during the Niger food crisis in 2005 that unnecessarily cost lives. 

“We are witnessing an unfolding disaster which can be averted if the world acts swiftly. Five years ago the world ignored the warning signs from Niger, failed to act rapidly and lives were lost. The international community cannot make the same mistake and again condemn many children to an early death,” said Mamadou Biteye Oxfam’s West Africa Regional Director.

Irregular rains in 2009 have led to a severe lack of pasture, water and a poor harvest. In Niger, the harvest has fallen by 26 percent as compared with the previous year, and some areas, especially the Diffa in the east of country and Tillabéry to the west, have had no harvest at all. In Chad, harvests have fallen by 34 percent. The areas of Hadjer Lamis, Batha, Bahr El Ghaza, Kanem, Guera regions and eastern Chad are expected to be hit hard, especially from April 2010. Overall, the harvest in the Sahel has decreased by 9 percent with great disparities between East and West Sahel.

Prices of cereals are high and increasing. Millet and sorghum prices are up to respectively 25 and 50 percent higher than a year ago in Niger. Rains are not expected until June and prices are expected to increase until the next harvest in September without a substantial aid effort.

Pastoralists are especially vulnerable as they depend on animals for their food and income. “With not enough fodder, herders are desperate to sell their animals, driving livestock prices lower and lower,” explains Hassane Baka, a representative of Oxfam’s partner AREN in Niger. “This means that for each animal sold on the market, pastoralists get less cereal with which to feed their families.”

Oxfam called on donors to respond to the government of Niger’s request for international humanitarian assistance. While the authorities have some food reserves, these are currently not sufficient. Up to $123 million was requested to fund the national response plan. The agency also called on donors to address increasing needs in Chad and Mali. 

Oxfam also called on all countries in the region to keep their borders open. In 2005, the situation was made worse when neighboring countries closed their borders with Niger. This limited the availability of food and increased inflation. The agency also stressed the need for good coordination between governments, UN agencies, and local and international NGOs to ensure efficient aid delivery.

Oxfam, along with national and local partner organisations, have started emergency work in the most vulnerable regions in Niger, especially in the Maradi, Tahoua, Tillabéry and Zinder regions. They are distributing food and supplies to the poorest households and schoolchildren, protecting livestock and buying weak livestock from herders at above market levels. Particularly important in the current crisis is the early warning system developed by Oxfam’s partners in Niger and broadcasted on rural radio networks. This gives cattle herders the information they need to act quickly.

In Chad, Oxfam is helping people in the Hajer Lamis and Dar Sila  (Gozbeida, Koukou, Kerfi and Amdam) regions by running projects to support agriculture and safeguard animal health.  The agency will be sending emergency assessment teams to the affected areas in the next few days to determine the full scope of the Oxfam response. In Mali, the agency will be distributing food and animal feed to 100,000 people.

The agency has worked in the Sahel region for decades, developing sustainable solutions to tackle the root causes of food shortages such as creating cereal and fodder banks, promoting income diversification as well as education and literacy.

ENDS

A succession of bets placed by a man who left his estate to Oxfam when he died could raise more than a third of a million pounds for the charity over the next ten years, including £100,000 if Roger Federer wins this year’s Wimbledon in June    as is widely expected.

The first bet, £250 on Roger Federer to win at least 14 grand slam titles before 2020 at 66/1, won £16,750 for Oxfam and was claimed this month, as Federer heads into the 2010 tennis season as world number one.

The bets, placed with bookmakers William Hill between 2000 and 2005 by Nicholas Newlife from Kidlington, Oxfordshire, are pinned on the future successes of tennis stars Roger Federer and Andy Roddick, and cricketer Ramnaresh Sarwan.

Mr Newlife left his entire estate to Oxfam when he died in February 2009, aged 69, which included the outcomes of the series of outstanding bets he had placed.

Federer lost last year’s Australian Open to Nadal in the final, but went on to claim his 14^th grand slam at the French Open and 15^th at Wimbledon in 2009, winning almost £17,000 for Oxfam in the process.

Cathy Ferrier, Fundraising and Supporter Marketing Director at Oxfam, said:

“We’re enormously grateful to Mr Newlife for his generous gift, and will be keeping a close eye on Wimbledon this year as a result.

“Legacies amount to 10 per cent of our total income from individuals, so they’re essential to us, and as this case proves they can come in all shapes and sizes. It is very easy to make a will and including Oxfam could leave a lasting legacy for those most in need.

“Every time someone leaves us a gift in their will, whether that’s a few pounds or a few thousands pounds, it helps us make a huge difference to thousands of lives around the world. For example, £500 could provide twenty basics latrines, such as those sent by Oxfam after the Haiti earthquake, and £3,700 could equip an entire special needs school with teaching and learning aids.”

Graham Sharpe, Media Relations Director at William Hill, said:

“Mr Newlife was clearly a very shrewd sporting gambler whose early identification of potential superstars won tens of thousands of pounds for himself while he was still alive – but to ensure that a respected charity would benefit from any bets which came to fruition after his death makes him unprecedented in my thirty year experience of the betting industry. Roger Federer is already 6/4 hot favourite to win this summer’s Wimbledon and I fully expect to be handing over a six figure [£101, 840] cheque to Oxfam when he does so.”

The outstanding bets placed by Mr Newlife that could still come off are:

• £1520 on Federer to win Wimbledon men’s singles at least 7 times before 2020 at 66/1 – this would win £101,840 for Oxfam this summer if he comes out on top at this summer’s Wimbledon.
• £1,000 on Andy Roddick to win at least 7 grand slam singles titles before 2020 at 33/1 – this would win £34,000 for Oxfam.
• £750 on Andy Roddick to win at least 10 grand slam singles titles before 2020 at 100/1 – this would win £75,075 for Oxfam.
• £350 on Ramnaresh Sarwan to make over 7,000 test match runs by end of 2019 at 50/1 – this would win £17,850.
• £300 on Ramnaresh Sarwan to make more than 8,000 test match runs by end of 2019 at 100/1 – this would win £30,300.
• £250 on Ramnaresh Sarwan to make more than 9,000 test match runs by end of 2019 at 250/1 – this would win £62,750.

Should all the bets come to fruition, Oxfam would receive around £330,000, which would be enough to buy emergency rations for almost 46,000 people, safe water for more than 350,000 people, or buy 12,800 goats.

Oxfam benefits from the generosity of around 600 legacies every year – the charity receives on average around £10-11 million per year from legacy gifts.

Other unusual legacies that Oxfam has received include:

• A pair of gold teeth and a dentist’s chair from a former dentist;
• The royalties from a number of books and plays, including Doctor Finlay’s Casebook, which was on TV from 1962 to 1971;
• A letter written by Florence Nightingale, which was sold for several hundred pounds at auction;
• Some racing greyhounds;
• The most expensive shares left to us was a holding of shares in the original Woolwich Arsenal Football Club. The shares had been overlooked in 1920 and were traced through 4 subsequent estates. Each share was worth £6,965 when finally sold in 2009.

The charity has received the proceeds from sales of art collections and antique furniture, and gifts of jewellery, books and clothes and whenever possible Oxfam arrange for these to be sold in our shops. In the case of antique furniture, Oxfam relies on the expertise of auctioneers to value the items and get the best possible price for them in auction. Perhaps the most attractive item sold on behalf of Oxfam in an auction was a Regency Chaise Longue, which sold for £8,000.

– Ends –

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Stuart Fowkes

Oxfam press office

01865 472254 / 07818 406038 / [email protected]

Graham Sharpe

William Hill

0208 918 3731 / 07803 233702 / [email protected]

Oxfam’s team of humanitarian workers arrived in Santiago during the early hours of Tuesday morning spearheading the aid agency’s response to Saturday’s devastating earthquake.

The team of five – consisting of water engineers and logisticians – is heading across to Concepcion today (TUESDAY) by road, fearing the 300-mile journey could take up to 12 hours due to the poor condition of the road.

As well as sending a team to the disaster-hit area, the organisation is also planning to send a stock of relief supplies from its storage warehouse in Bolivia to Chile.
Oxfam has a stock of basic emergency supplies in the shape of blankets, water buckets and water filters in Bolivia.  Oxfam is looking into how to send these supplies to Chile. On arrival they will be handed over to partner organisations for use where the need is most.

Once the experienced team members arrive at the affected area, they will start assessing people’s access to clean, fresh drinking water and sanitation facilities. They will also be looking to see whether there is a need for Oxfam to provide emergency shelter.
Charlie Rowley, who is heading up Oxfam’s assessment team in Chile, says: “We are Oxfam’s eyes and ears on the ground.

“It is early days yet but we are here to see how we can make a real difference and do what we can to help the people whose lives have been turned upside down by this disaster. We are particularly concerned about people living in the more remote, rural areas as they are least likely to receive immediate assistance.”

Oxfam’s team in Latin America has been talking to Chilean  organisations to get as full a picture as possible of the extent of the damage – particularly in the rural, hard-to-reach areas. Until the assessment is complete, the aid agency is unclear about what its precise role in the relief effort will be.

ENDS

Notes to editors: 
Monica Maureira, in Santiago, will be co-ordinating requests for interviews with the assessment team. Call her on  00 56 99 95 94156 and 00 56 29186693. Monica will also be available for interview in Spanish.

Also, co-ordinating requests for interviews are:
UK: Zahra Akkerhuys on +44 1865 472498 or +44 7525 901932 or email [email protected]
New York: Louis Belanger on +1 (917) 224-834 – for interviews in English/Spanish

Saturday’s quake, registering 8.8, struck five regions in Chile – regions V to VIII, and the capital of Chile, Santiago. The greatest damage is believed to have occurred in the regions of Maule and Bio Bio, in the southern part of the country. In Maule alone, the death toll is believed to be more than 500; and this number is expected to increase due to the tsunami that hit the region minutes after the tremor. In the hours and days since the earthquake, thousands of families have taken to living in the hills in the seventh region.

More than 100 aftershocks have been registered since Saturday’s quake hit.

A fan has bid more than £10,000 to spend the afternoon with multi-platinum pop star and ­X-Factor winner Leona Lewis in a fundraising auction for Oxfam’s Haiti earthquake response.

The auction, attracting 170 bids on eBay, raised almost £12,000 in total, which would be enough to buy lifesaving equipment such as hygiene kits for 1,200 families or basic latrines for 9,600 people.

Leona said:

“The response to the auction was just incredible. Oxfam do amazing work, and I’m delighted to have done my bit to help them save lives in Haiti. I can’t wait to meet the winner and spend the afternoon with them, and would like to thank everyone who put in a bid for their support.”

The final bid for an afternoon with Leona was £10,520, while the other items in the auction were:

– A haircut & style by Leona Lewis’ hairstylist Ben Cooke (winning bid £405)

– A lesson from Leona Lewis’ make-up artist Jane Bradley (£230)

– A signed presentation disc & goody bag from Leona Lewis (£720)

The auction follows on from a host of stars who auctioned must-have items to raise money for Oxfam’s Haiti appeal during January. The auction, co-organised with Glastonbury’s Emily Eavis, raised more than £120,000 in just two weeks.

A print donated by controversial British artist Damien Hirst was the auction’s biggest success, raising £12,655, while an oil painting by Rolf Harris fetched £12,607.

Other items that were sold as part of the auction included a signed ‘Viva La Vida’ tour jacket from Coldplay, VIP tickets to this year’s Glastonbury festival, and a song to be written personally for a bidder by Damon Albarn.

The auction result comes as Oxfam was able to announce that its humanitarian Haiti earthquake appeal has now closed due to the overwhelming generosity of the public.

In the UK, Oxfam has received £15m for its emergency work in Haiti, with donations received from the public, governments and institutional donors across the world. The aid agency now has enough money to fund its work in Haiti for the next 3-5 years.

– Ends –

Notes to editors

For more information, images, or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Stuart Fowkes | 01865 472254 | 07818 406038 | [email protected]

For more information on Oxfam’s response in Haiti, please contact:

Rebecca Wynn | [email protected] | 07769 887139

Ian Bray | [email protected] | 07721 461339

In response to today’s announcement from M&S regarding the next phase of Plan A sustainability journey, David McCullough, Oxfam’s Trading Director, said:
“We’re delighted to be a partner with M&S and we’re impressed by the ambition set out in the next phase of Plan A. We know British shoppers want to recycle and they have donated four million items of M&S clothing to our shops, which would have otherwise gone to landfill. This has raised £2 million, helping us to save lives. M&S have set a bold target to recycle 20 million garments by 2015 and we are right behind them in support of that goal.

“We know workers in the clothing industry in developing countries still earn desperately low wages and don’t know their rights, so Marks and Spencer’s innovative approach to tackling low wages in three factories in Bangladesh shows positive change is possible. It should encourage other brands and retailers to build a living wage into their own price negotiations, bringing forward the day when workers can make a living by supplying clothes to UK shoppers.”

Oxfam is today sending a team of water engineers  and logisticians from Colombia and senior humanitarian staff from its centre in Mexico in response to the 8.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Chile today. Oxfam is also contacting partners in the country so that the agencies response to the crisis can roll out as fast as possible.

Jeremy Loveless, Oxfam’s Deputy Humanitarian Director:

“Even though the severity of the situation is unclear, Oxfam is preparing for the worst and will be sending five staff out to Chile today to assess and consider how best to help the thousands of people effected by the disaster.   The team flying in have years of experience in responding to earthquakes and Oxfam also has partners in the country who can begin to help immediately.   Chile is a developed country with a very capable government and while it is unlikely that this disaster will be as severe as what we saw last month in Haiti, we want to be in place to help as soon as possible.”

ENDS

 For more information please contact Sam Barratt on + 44 7818 406050 email [email protected]

International aid agency Oxfam today announced that its Humanitarian Haiti earthquake appeal was closing due to the over-whelming generosity of the public.

In the UK, Oxfam has received £15m for its emergency work in Haiti, with donations received from the public, governments and institutional donors across the world. The aid agency now has enough money to fund its work in Haiti for the next 3-5 years.

Penny Lawrence, Oxfam’s International Director says:

“We are extremely touched by the generosity of the public. The Haiti earthquake was a disaster of almost unimaginable magnitude; millions lost their loved ones and their homes. Oxfam aid teams have been working around the clock to get help to the people that need it. The money we have received is making a real difference to people’s lives in Haiti and will continue to make a real difference as we help Haitians to re-build their lives.”

Although Oxfam’s appeal for Haiti is closing, the charity asked the public to remember other emergencies. The aid agency is responding to 26 disasters worldwide and is able to respond quickly because of giving to its emergency fund – Oxfam 365. There are still urgent needs arising from the prolonged drought in East Africa as well as in conflict situations like Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Lawrence continued: “If you have raised money, Oxfam can still put it to good use. Our Oxfam 365 fund helps our emergency work around the globe. Right now, teams are helping people caught up in conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo and helping restore the livelihoods of those caught up in the east Africa drought.”

People can donate to Oxfam 365 online at: http://www.oxfam.org.uk/oxfam365/

or calling 0300 200 1300.

To date, Oxfam has provided assistance to 170,000 people in Haiti and continues to scale up operations, planning to reach at least 500,000 people by the end of July. The charity is providing clean water, sanitation, shelter, seeds and running cash for work programmes.

Fundraising projects already in progress before the appeal closed, such as the Haiti auction, will continue as planned, but no new initiatives will be set into motion.

For further information contact Rebecca Wynn on +44 7769 887 139

Notes to Editors: Oxfam International, consisting of Oxfam’s 14 independent affiliate groups worldwide including Oxfam Great Britain, has raised approximately $93 million (equivalent to £60m) in their home markets for emergency work in Haiti. ###

Multi-platinum pop star and ­X-Factor winner Leona Lewis is auctioning herself to raise money for Oxfam’s Haiti earthquake response this week. Fans can bid to spend an afternoon with Leona, taking in anything from bowling and horse riding to an intimate dinner with the star.

Other prizes on offer from Leona over the next week include:

– A haircut & style by Leona Lewis’ hairstylist Ben Cooke

– A lesson from Leona Lewis’ make-up artist Jane Bradley

– A signed presentation disc & goody bag from Leona Lewis

Speaking in a video message to fans, Leona said:

“I’ve been amazed and inspired by the courage of people in Haiti. What’s happened has been so devastating, and I really want to do anything I can to help. At times like this we’re reminded of how important it is to help, so please dig deep and thanks to all of your for your support.”

The auction runs until Monday 1 March, and can be found at www.oxfam.org.uk/haitiauction.

The auction follows on from a host of stars who auctioned must-have items to raise money for Oxfam’s Haiti appeal last month. The auction, co-organised with Glastonbury’s Emily Eavis, raised more than £120,000 in just two weeks.

A print donated by controversial British artist Damien Hirst was the auction’s biggest success, raising £12,655, while an oil painting by Rolf Harris fetched £12,607.

Other items that were sold as part of the auction included a signed ‘Viva La Vida’ tour jacket from Coldplay, VIP tickets to this year’s Glastonbury festival, and a song to be written personally for a bidder by Damon Albarn.

– Ends –

Notes to editors

For more information, images, or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Stuart Fowkes | 01865 472254 | 07818 406038 | [email protected]

For more information on Oxfam’s response in Haiti, please contact:

Rebecca Wynn | [email protected] | 07769 887139

Ian Bray | [email protected] | 07721 461339

Oxfam shops across the UK will be rewarding donors for their generosity with 40 free cups of tea each during Fairtrade Fortnight. Anyone bringing in a bag of quality donations to an Oxfam shop from 22 February to 7 March will get a box of 40 Cafédirect tea bags as a swap in return.

The charity has set a target of almost 85,000 new donations* in a fortnight from the tea-swap initiative, at the same time as encouraging consumers to switch over to Fairtrade products. This means consumers can help to change lives in two important ways – by supporting Fairtrade producers in the developing world, and by helping Oxfam to raise money to fight poverty.

The offer comes as part of Fairtrade Fortnight’s theme of ‘The Big Swap’, which is aiming for people across Britain to make one million and one swaps from non-Fairtrade goods to their Fairtrade equivalent during that two-week period. Around 250 Oxfam shops will be taking part in the donations-for-tea swap.

Sally Hogg, New Products Manager at Oxfam, said:

“Supporting Fairtrade is a really simple and effective way for people to use their power as high street shoppers to help change lives around the world. By donating to an Oxfam shop, you can help us to raise millions of pounds to fight poverty. And during Fairtrade Fortnight, you can do both at the same time by swapping your unwanted goods for some refreshing Cafédirect tea.”

Anne MacCaig, CEO at Cafédirect said:

“We’re delighted to be supporting this drive for donations by rewarding people with an excellent cuppa. Once they’ve tasted our brew, we’re confident that people will be inspired to turn over a new leaf and swap to Cafédirect for good.”

Veronica Pasteur, Head of Campaigns at the Fairtrade Foundation said:

“Congratulations to Oxfam and their campaign to get behind the Big Swap. We are looking forward to people swapping as many things as they can find during Fairtrade Fortnight to help us meet our one million and one goal. This is a great initiative and I’m really excited to take part. I can’t wait to go into my local Oxfam store and swap as many things as possible for my free tea. I’d encourage everyone to go out and take part.”

Oxfam food shops also sell Cafédirect Fairtrade tea in boxes of 80 for £2.49 and boxes of 440 for £9.99.

Earlier this year, Oxfam reported that donations to its shops over the last 12 months have decreased by 15 per cent, the steepest decline for years, as the recession has hit the UK hard.

To find your nearest participating shop, search for ‘food’ at www.oxfam.org.uk/shopfinder or call 0300 2001 333.

– Ends –

Notes to editors

Oxfam was one of the pioneers of Fairtrade more than 40 years ago and has been involved in its successful growth in the UK ever since. In 1991, Oxfam helped to found Cafédirect, which is now the UK’s fourth-largest roast and ground coffee brand. In 1992 we co-founded the Fairtrade Foundation (with five other organisations), which licenses the use of the FAIRTRADE Mark in the UK. We continue to work closely with both of these organisations.

*Based on the average quantity of 3.5 items per donation.

From 22 February to 7 March, any customer handing in any donation(s) over the counter at a participating Oxfam shop will be offered a box of 40 Cafédirect teabags in return. Offer available while stocks last. One free box of Cafedirect tea per person.

For more information or to arrange an interview with an Oxfam spokesperson, please contact:

Stuart Fowkes

01865 472254 | 07818 406038 | [email protected]

Responding to an OECD review that predicts that in 2010, overseas aid will be a staggering $21bn lower than promised, Max Lawson, Oxfam senior policy adviser, said:

“Rich countries have no excuse for failing to deliver the aid increases they promised five years ago at Gleneagles. Overseas aid is more important than ever in the midst of an economic crisis that is pushing millions more people into poverty.

“These broken promises are nothing short of a scandal. A women dies every minute in childbirth somewhere in the world because of inadequate medical care and 72 million children remain out of school. The missing $21 billion could pay for every child to go to school, and could save the lives of 2 million of the poorest mothers and children.”

Unesco estimates it would cost $16bn each year to ensure that every child gets the chance to go to school and Oxfam calculates that $5bn would provide improved medical care that would save the lives of about 2 million mothers and children.

France, Germany and Italy are three of the countries who the OECD projections expect to miss targets. Collectively the EU-15 who are members of the OECD will miss their 0.51% aid target they committed to in 2005, with OECD projections putting them at just 0.48% average in 2010.

Lawson said: “Countries such as the UK, Spain and Belgium are demonstrating it is possible to show development leadership, and we still hope to see others like France, Germany and Italy stepping up in 2010.”

Issues we work on: debt and aid.

New Oxfam report says retreating glaciers and more extreme weather like droughts and floods could dangerously erode food security, livelihoods and even regional stability by 2050

The people of Tajikistan, many already feeling the strains of climate change, will be increasingly afflicted by deepening symptoms over the next 40 years unless immediate action is taken to mitigate the effects, according to a new report released today by Oxfam.

The report, Reaching Tipping Point? Climate Change and Poverty in Tajikistan, says that the country‘s glaciers, mainly found in its Pamir Mountains that make up part of the Trans-Himalayan range, are retreating and could lead to greater water shortages and potential disputes in the wider region in the future.

The painful blow of climate change has been sharply felt in rural areas of Tajikistan, where 1.4 million people are already food insecure, in recent years.  Last summer’s good rains brought some relief to rural communities across Tajikistan that had previously suffered from three consecutive years of drought, failed harvests and one of the harshest winters on record.  But the long-term trends are clear – and ominous.

“It is indisputable that glaciers in Tajikistan are retreating. It is also indisputable that if glaciers continue to retreat, and the country experiences more extreme weather, countless people will be dealt an even harder blow.  Nearly one and a half million people are already food insecure and that figure will likely rise if climate change is not addressed.  There could even be a dangerous ripple effect across Central Asia, with countries throughout the region potentially wrestling over dwindling water resources in coming decades,” said Andy Baker, Oxfam Tajikistan’s Country Director.

Tajikistan’s plight highlights the international injustice of climate change, as it is one of the countries least responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change.     This mountainous, poverty-stricken Central Asian country ranks 109th in the world for all greenhouse gas emissions, 129th in emissions per capita, and its people emit less than one tonne of carbon dioxide per head per year as compared to nearly 20 tonnes by North Americans

Some key data disclosed in the report:
There has been a rise by 1.0-1.2 degrees C in parts of the country over the past 60 years
The number of days per year the temperature has reached 40 degrees C has increased
Droughts will likely be more intense and frequent in the future; in 2008 Tajikistan suffered one of its worst droughts on record while the winter of 2008 saw temperatures of minus 20 degrees C for more than a month, causing serious crop loss
According to cited scientists, 20 percent of the country’s glaciers have retreated and up to 30 percent more are likely to retreat or disappear by 2050
Fedchenko Glacier, the country’s largest, has melted at a rate of 16-20 metres per year
The consequences of climate change could overstretch many countries’ adaptive capacity in the region, contributing to political destabilization and triggering migration

The report is based on interviews conducted in the Vose, Fakhor, and Temurmalik rural areas of the Khatlon region bordering Afghanistan in the country’s south.  Oxfam helps poor farming communities cope with increasingly frequent droughts, flooding and other disasters throughout Khatlon, known as Tajikistan’s ‘bread basket’ during Soviet times.  Additional interviews were conducted in the Ferghana Valley agricultural areas of Spitamen and Ganchi in the Sugd region of northern Tajikistan.   Seventy percent of the Tajik population live in agricultural areas – there are very few other means to a livelihood outside the capital –  the majority in Khatlon and Sugd.

Those interviewed spoke of the unusual hardships they have faced in recent years.  Many farmers experienced widespread crop loss caused both by searing summers and bitter cold in the winter.  During the drought of 2008, grain harvest totals were down between 30-40 percent compared to the previous year.

Many farming communities in Tajikistan largely rely on over-stretched irrigation systems and on rainfall to cultivate and reap a harvest, and are so poor that they are forced send male family members to Russia to work as labourers to help support the family.  Any shocks – like repeated droughts or flooding caused by climate change – can push families over the edge.  A local Oxfam partner explained to the report’s author that previously droughts lasted for one year only, but now they can last for four or five consecutive years.   As one farmer explained, “When rain starts, it’s good, it’s like humanitarian aid.”

Andy Baker added:
“Droughts are increasing and temperatures are rising.  Harvests are failing for lack of water.   Entire swathes of the rural population of Tajikistan have already suffered greatly in recent years, barely able to feed their families.  Imagine what their situation will be in 2050 if adaptation measures are not put into place soon and if global green house gas emissions are not adequately reined in. It could be calamitous.”

The Report – Oxfam’s Key Recommendations:
At a community level:  improve access to water and methods of food storage and preservation. Provide more support and training in agriculture.  Scale up better insulation of houses, use of energy efficient stoves, biogas, solar power and use of passive solar greenhouses
At a national level: support farmers to adapt and have more resilient livelihood strategies; integrate climate change responses across government departments and into national planning; strengthen disaster risk reduction programmes; implement research programmes on climate change and its impacts
At regional and international level: negotiations must get straight back on track to achieve a fair, ambitious, and binding deal to tackle climate change, which is now overdue. To deliver their fair share of global efforts, rich countries would need to provide $200 billion per year by 2020 to help developing countries adapt and reduce their own emissions.  They need to commit to reduce their own emissions with at least 40% below 1990 levels by 2020 to have a decent chance to keep global warming below 2°C.  In Central Asia, institutions for regional co-operation must be strengthened, in particular to monitor and manage water resources in the light of glacial melt, higher temperatures and increases in water scarcity.

The report was unveiled today in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, during a high level event to discuss the dangers posed by climate change in the country, attended by government officials and international donors like the World Bank, DFID, the EU and USAID.

Ends

Photographs can be downloaded at:-

http://wordsandpictures.oxfam.org.uk/?c=6373&k=c20bf9303a

For more information, please contact:

Andy Baker, Dushanbe, [email protected], +992 91 898 56 20
Elena Akhmedova, Dushanbe, [email protected], +992 98 526 86 50
Yulia Yevtushok, Moscow, [email protected], +74992464944
Jennifer Abrahamson, UK, [email protected], +44(0)7810814980

Help tackle climate change with Oxfam.

Oxfam is set to grab a slice of the multi-million pound online price comparison industry, with the launch of a new website which will ring fence at least two thirds of its entire revenue for the charity.

Compare for Good, launched today by Oxfam supporter Joan Collins, is a price comparison website with a difference.  It allows customers to save money by finding the most competitive deal on a range of financial products and services, while raising valuable funds for Oxfam.  It is the first time a not-for-profit organisation has entered the price comparison market and comes at a crucial time when consumers have less money to spare for charity.

Joan Collins said: “You only need to look at disasters like Haiti to realise how much help charities need on an on-going basis.  Compare for Good is a win-win opportunity for people to save themselves money while raising money for charity.”

There has been a boom in the online price comparison sector in recent years, with adverts for leading websites regularly fighting for attention on our screens.  The commission paid to these websites by product and service providers is worth more then a billion pounds a year* with more than six million people logging on to them every month.

Entrepreneur Ivan Massow, known for his groundbreaking insurance services for gay men and people with HIV in the 1990s, developed Compare for Good.  He saw an opportunity to direct some of the profits from this lucrative market to good causes and create a sustainable channel of income for charity.

Ivan Massow, managing director of Compare for Good, said: “Compare for Good is a unique way of raising money for charity on a long-term basis. I think this can be the next big thing and has the potential to raise millions of pounds for Oxfam while offering consumers the chance to find a bargain.”

As with other price comparison sites, Compare for Good customers can expect to save £150 or more on products such as car insurance or utilities bills.  The commission earned by the site each time can be worth hundreds and sometimes thousands of pounds, of which over two thirds goes directly to Oxfam.

Cathy Ferrier, Oxfam’s director of fundraising, said: “We’re always looking for innovative ways to raise money for our lifesaving work, especially during difficult economic times when the public find it harder to spare money for charity.  This website means people can support Oxfam even when money is tight.”

Compare for Good is powered by beatthatquote.com and offers price comparison services and advice on a range of financial products, from insurance, loans and credit cards to gas, electricity or travel.  The service is completely free for customers with no obligation.  The website ring fences a minimum of two thirds of its entire revenue for Oxfam with the remainder of the income being used for running and administration costs.

Visit the website at www.compareforgood.com

Ends

Notes to Editor:

* BBC Online, December 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7766798.stm

A photocall with Joan Collins to launch Compare for Good is being held at 11am on Tuesday 16 February 2010 at The Cinnamon Club, The Old Westminster Library, 30-32 Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3BU.

For interviews with Joan Collins, Ivan Massow or Cathy Ferrier or for further information please contact:

Leona Everitt, Oxfam Press Office on +44 (0)1865 472237 / +44 (0)7827 957337 / [email protected]

Emanuele Palladino, JAM on +44 (0)207 269 7921 / +44 (0)7507 632508 / [email protected]

About Compare for Good and Oxfam.