Cash on the move: Supporting Venezuelan migrants in Colombia

Corrie Sissons Cash transfers, Refugees and IDPs

An unfolding crisis in Colombia As you walk across the Simon Bolivar bridge from Venezuela to Colombia’s Norte De Santander region it’s hard not to be overwhelmed by the sheer mass of humanity jostling to enter. They are all fleeing the spiralling socio-economic crisis in Venezuela which until now has caused over 4 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants worldwide. Around …

Constant crisis: The new normal for market analysis?

Corrie Sissons Cash transfers, Climate Change, Food & livelihoods

Climate change and ongoing conflicts have made Pre-Crisis Market Analysis (PCMA) an essential feature of Oxfam’s humanitarian work. Corrie Sissons and Daniel Pasquini share how PCMA exercises have helped Oxfam to respond effectively in two very different contexts. One approach Oxfam frequently uses is mapping, analysing and understanding markets in emergencies.  Our experience working in humanitarian relief and development has …

Reaching refugees and boosting small businesses in Bangladesh

Corrie Sissons Emergency, Food & livelihoods, Humanitarian, Refugees and IDPs

By providing emergency cash or vouchers Oxfam can help people in crisis to get desperately needed food and other items, while boosting local businesses at the same time. Corrie Sissons explains what this looks like in Oxfam’s Rohingya Crisis response. At Oxfam we help those in crisis to meet their emergency needs in a way which does no harm. This …

South Sudan: though famine has ceased hunger has spread

Corrie Sissons Conflict, General, Humanitarian

As war torn South Sudan reaches its sixth birthday is there any cause for celebration? Tragically not much, as Corrie Sissons explains. Although there is no longer a technical ‘famine,’ more people than ever are going hungry. The recent declaration that famine in South Sudan has been halted was rightly celebrated. However, dig deeper than the headlines and it becomes …

The value of vouchers: Innovation and empowerment in Iraq

Corrie Sissons ICT4D, Protection

Corrie Sissons introduces a new e-voucher technology helping to meet the unique needs of households living through the Iraq crisis. The changing nature of humanitarian crises in a modern world means that agencies like Oxfam need to adapt to ensure we meet needs in an effective way. Oxfam in Iraq has been piloting a new approach that does just that; …

CLARA: How a livelihoods and risk assessment tool is supporting women’s economic empowerment

Corrie Sissons Gender, Gender & Development Journal, Refugees and IDPs, Women's Economic Empowerment

There are more than 3.3 million displaced people in Iraq. Women and girls, and their ability to participate in livelihoods, have been particularly affected by this displacement. In this blog Corrie Sissons explains how the Cohort Livelihoods and Risk Assessment (CLARA) tool has been informing programme design and liveli­hood initiatives that can safely seed longer-term recovery. hen a shock happens, …

Iraq: preparing for a predictable crisis

Corrie Sissons Conflict, Emergencies, Humanitarian, Innovation

LEARNING: The Iraqi army’s planned and ongoing counter-offensive against ISIS is likely to lead to the displacement of between 500,000 and 1.5 million people from the city of Mosul and surrounding areas. They will need urgent humanitarian assistance, including shelter, food, and water. Oxfam with the IRC has conducted a Pre-Crisis Market Analysis (PCMA) to inform preparations, here Corrie Sissons, …