Three inspiring young local Oxfam humanitarian workers, talk about their lives and their commitment to providing aid to vulnerable communities.
Lighting up the lives of Rohingya Refugees
Oxfam and partners at Loughborough University are looking at how lighting can be used to reduce the perceived risk of gender based violence around water and sanitation facilities in camps.
Introducing the new Gender Handbook for Humanitarian Action
For World Humanitarian Day Tess Dico-Young reflects on the process of producing the new, improved, IASC Gender Handbook for Humanitarian Action. Huge shifts have occurred in the humanitarian sector and humanitarian programme cycles over the past twelve years, including in standards and expectations for the integration of gender equality. Which is why, under the leadership of UN Women, and with …
If we don’t make sacrifices, who will?
Oxfam emergency team leader Cecilia shares her experiences on the front line in South Sudan. I’ve seen a lot in my job. As an emergency responder, I am usually close to the front line and the people who have fled from it. I have seen people shot as they collect drinking water from a river and people giving every last …
The number to focus on this World Refugee Day
This World Refugee Day, Head of Humanitarian Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns, Fionna Smyth, reflects on the recent UNHCR refugee figures and reminds us of those who are seeking safety in poorer countries. We’ve learned that more than 68 million people have been forced from their homes worldwide. It is the fifth year in a row that this number has hit …
Technology in humanitarian programming: agility vs standardisation
Laura Eldon and Anna Kondakhchyan reflect on how new technologies are used in humanitarian work, and share learning from Oxfam’s experiences. Here at Oxfam, we are passionate about the potential for new technologies to support the delivery of high quality field activities. Crucially, we believe in taking a ‘responsible’ approach to the use of Information Communication Technologies (or ICTs). Essentially …
10 tips for working with communities on Ebola response
Following the news of an Ebola outbreak in the DRC, here’s a summary of lessons learned from Oxfam’s community engagement during the 2014–15 Ebola response in Sierra Leone and Liberia. The Ebola response in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea demonstrated that community engagement is critical in responding to epidemics. This was not always a guiding principle in an outbreak, which …
Gaza is dying in front of everybody
Tim Holmes reports back on his recent visit to Gaza and reflects on the challenges people living there face in their daily lives. A powerful smell hit me as I entered Gaza a fortnight ago. Not the smell of burning tyres from the ongoing protests, or the tear gas that has been used in response, but the smell of raw …