Oxfam News December 2005

Transcription

SUMMER 2005
12
LIF PAG
T-O E T
UT SU
IN NA
SID MI
E
Timor-Leste’s
food crisis
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Contents
Special feature: After the tsunami
It’s been almost 12 months since the tsunami
devastated communities across Asia. We reflect
on the disaster, the people and our response.
Cover story: Food crisis in Timor-Leste
6
Read how we are helping our closest
neighbour, Timor-Leste address critical food
shortages and severe child malnutrition.
Timor women create history
9
Meet some of the women who have
been elected onto village councils for
the first time in Timor-Leste’s history.
A race against time
2005 has been dubbed the Year of
Disasters and even the Year of Despair.
10
As a harsh winter sets in across northern
Pakistan, Oxfam is racing to help those
left homeless by the recent earthquake.
Crunch time for world trade
12
The Make Poverty History campaign will
culminate at the World Trade Organsiation
meeting in Hong Kong this month.
Newsround
From the
Executive Director
4
River of poison
Remote communities in Papua New Guinea unite to fight a mining company.
11
The house that Shane built
Major donor Shane Higgs tells of his recent visit to Cambodia.
14
Celebrating 40 fabulous years
A look back over 40 years of Walk Against Want.
16
Country profile: South Africa
17
Oxfam community
18
FRONT COVER: Rosa Rodriguez feeds her son Ernestino D’Aquino, aged three, as part of Oxfam Australia’s
nutrition program in Kader Obucmil village, Timor-Leste. Photo: John Sones/OxfamAUS
Editor Maureen Bathgate Photo Editor Martin Wurt Design Paoli Smith Proofreader Nina Field Printed by Work & Turner
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Beginning with the devastating
tsunami, there seems to have been a
continual stream of major disasters.
The famine in Niger and elsewhere
in West Africa was followed by
floods in India, hurricanes in Central
America and the United States and
the earthquake in South Asia — and
these are just the disasters which
have captured the world’s attention.
There are others, forgotten or
neglected emergencies, mostly in
sub-Saharan Africa, which result in
the deaths of untold numbers of
people and which regrettably don’t
get the necessary response from
the international community. The
poor and the marginalised are the
most affected by such tragedies.
Oxfam has enhanced its capacity to
respond to such emergencies. We’ve
got better trained and equipped staff.
We’re also devoting more resources
to disaster preparedness training, so
that vulnerable communities are better
placed to respond to emergencies
when they occur. And we’re working
closely with other members of Oxfam
International to ensure that collectively
we’re there when needed and
providing the right sort of assistance.
We’re also advocating for the world’s
governments to be better prepared for
emergencies and not to just respond
when the news cameras arrive.
Disasters are going to keep on
happening; hopefully our actions
will help limit the damage and
help those affected get back
on their feet more quickly.
Andrew Hewett
Executive Director
Oxfam News
3
Newsround
Rebuilding begins after India floods
Work has begun to build homes and
restore livelihoods in flood-ravaged
North West India.
The floods, which hit in late June and
early July, caused widespread devastation.
In Gujarat, flooding forced five million
people from their homes and affected
up to 20 million people across the state.
In Maharashtra, millions were affected,
with tens of thousands of people losing
their homes.
Leading the Oxfam International response,
we initially worked to provide emergency
relief to more than 10,000 families across
the region, providing temporary shelter,
food, household items and basic primary
health care.
A woman receives emergency food aid from Oxfam
Australia following the Indian floods.
Photo: OxfamAUS.
Through our partner network, we are
helping more than 1,000 flood-affected
families to restore their livelihoods. We have
prioritised the needs of the most vulnerable
and marginalised, including tribal families.
We are helping communities to rehabilitate
and cultivate agricultural land damaged by
the floods through food and cash-for-work
activities. Families are being provided with
agricultural tools, seeds and fishing nets
and the opportunity to access livelihoodrelated loans.
Our shelter and reconstruction work
includes support for repairs to existing
homes, the construction of new houses
and the acquisition of land plots for tribal
families left without homes and land.
Through our partners, we are also
clearing rubble, rock and silt, rebuilding
dams so water can be stored for
livestock and agricultural use and
repairing flood-damaged paddy fields.
To donate to Oxfam Australia’s India
Floods Appeal, call 1800 034 034 or
visit www.oxfam.org.au/donate
Leader speaks out on rights
A capacity crowd crammed into the
BMW Edge Theatre at Federation Square,
Melbourne in August to hear former United
Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights Mary Robinson deliver the 2005
Oxfam Australia lecture on Globalisation
and Human Rights.
Mary, current Honorary President
of Oxfam International and Founder
and President of Realising Rights:
The Ethical Globalisation Initiative,
was instrumental in integrating human
rights throughout the UN system. She is
now extending this mandate to bring a
human rights and gender perspective
into the processes of globalisation.
“The Universal Declaration of Human
Rights states in Article 1 that: ‘All human
beings are born free and equal in dignity
and rights.’ What we are saying is everyone
in the world should realise that they have
this birth right...and that those with power
should realise, meaning implement, make
real, protect, those rights,” Mary said.
4
Oxfam Australia
Those with power include governments
and increasingly the corporate sector.
“Human rights have to matter in the
boardrooms of large multinational
corporations, they have to matter in
the WTO, in the IMF, in the World Bank,
in the UN and in the cabinets
of government,” she said.
For Mary, the Australian government’s
commitment to the broad international
human rights agenda is also of concern.
“This is not a time for Australia to lose
its voice on the connections between
human rights, human security and human
development in the fight against global
poverty,” she said.
“With a clear throat, Australia can again
speak out for human rights across the
globe, helping to make it a better and
safer world for us all.”
To hear Mary’s lecture or download a
written copy visit www.oxfam.org.au/
publications/podcasts.html
Oxfam International Honorary President Mary
Robinson speaks at Federation Square, Melbourne.
Photo: Martin Wurt/OxfamAUS.
Give a chook for Christmas
This Christmas, wrap up a chook, put a well under
your tree and stuff as many home gardens as you
can muster into a stocking.
Socks and undies are a thing of the past now that
Oxfam Unwrapped is here — an alternative gift
catalogue that comes chock full of unique gift ideas
that help you and some of the world’s poorest people
at the same time.
Here’s how the concept works — you choose a gift,
such as a goat or midwifery training, and your friend
or loved one receives a card detailing the present you
bought them. The real gift goes to those people in
developing countries who need it most.
ABOVE: Oxfam Australia’s Nalini Kasynathan (right) receives the inaugural Sir Ron
Wilson ACFID Human Rights Award from ACFID President Gaye Hart and Human
Rights Commissioner Dr Sev Ozdowski OAM. Photo: Cecily Dignan/ACFID.
A win for empowering women
Oxfam Australia’s South Asia Program Coordinator Nalini
Kasynathan has been recognised by the Australian Council
for International Development (ACFID) for her lifetime
commitment to the advancement of human rights.
Nalini was presented with the Sir Ron Wilson ACFID Human
Rights Award at the annual meeting of the ACFID Council in
Canberra in October.
In accepting the award, Nalini said she saw it as an affirmation
of the worth of the kind of “small scale, intensive un-glamorous
work some of us consider useful and necessary”.
“Original presents are hard to find — we’re offering
interesting and novel gifts that will help tackle poverty
at the same time,” Oxfam Australia’s Executive
Director Andrew Hewett said.
“All the gifts have been carefully chosen and are
tried and tested aspects of our development work.
They might seem quirky to you, but to the people who
need them they can mean the difference in raising
a normal healthy child or getting an education.”
For just $10 you can buy a pair of chickens which
can help feed a family and provide a new source
of income; $27 will buy school kit which will provide
children with new books, pens and pencils for school;
$393 can provide basic medicines for a village to help
treat common illnesses like malaria and cholera.
Buy your gifts online now at www.oxfamunwrapped.
com.au or call 1800 034 034 for a catalogue.
“I wish to accept this award as recognition of the commitment,
passion and the hard work that has been contributed by the
staff of Oxfam’s field office in Sri Lanka and the leaders of the
community groups, especially the women, who worked with us,”
she said.
“The latter, especially, have shown not only enormous energy
and dedication but also tremendous courage in defying
endemic threats of violence from diverse sources. I dedicate
this award to all and every one of them, for without them,
there is little that I could have achieved.”
Born in Sri Lanka, Nalini has spent more than 30 years working
in “not very well known, remote parts of Sri Lanka” among
marginal farmers, poor fishermen and landless villagers.
She joined Oxfam Australia in 1989, focussing particularly
on communities in Sri-Lanka’s conflict-affected areas and
promoting gender equality. Since December 2004, she has
worked extensively in Sri Lanka and India on our response
to the Asian tsunami.
Announcing the award, ACFID President Gaye Hart said:
“Through her extraordinary dedication to community
development in Sri Lanka, Nalini has made an outstanding
contribution in restoring human dignity and defending the
human rights of all Sri Lankans, particularly women and
those displaced by conflict or natural disaster.”
Photo: Jerry Galea
Oxfam News
5
THIS PAGE: Meliana Hoar feeds her son Zulito
Barreto a nutritious rice meal at the Oxfam Australia
nutrition session in Kader Obucmil village,
Timor-Leste. Photo: John Sones/OxfamAUS.
OPPOSITE: Natalina Barros weighs and packages
dried fish as part of Oxfam Australia’s food processing
project in Suku-loro village in Timor-Leste.
Photo: John Sones/OxfamAUS
6
Oxfam Australia
2005 Peace Appeal
Food crisis
in Timor-Leste
Six years after the bloodshed and violence which swept through
Timor-Leste following the vote for independence, the people are facing
a new crisis — malnutrition. Editor Maureen Bathgate travelled to
Timor-Leste to find out how Oxfam Australia is helping families survive.
Zulito sits on the ground tucking into
a big bowl of rice, a small hand clasped
around a big silver spoon. He looks barely
nine months old. He is actually two.
His mother, Meliana, sits beside him,
occasionally helping to steer the spoon
towards his mouth. Nearby is his older
brother Tarziso, aged four, who has
finished his rice and is now devouring
a fresh banana.
Both Zulito and Tarziso are severely
malnourished. They are among 20
malnourished children, aged between
six months and five years, who have
gathered under a large shady tree in
the tiny hamlet of Kader Obucmil, in
Timor-Leste’s Cova Lima District, to
take part in a nutrition program we are
running in conjunction with local partner
Juventude Esperanca Ba Futuru (JEF).
These children are not alone. A recent
assessment conducted by Oxfam,
CARE International and the Cova Lima
District Health Services, found 45%
of children aged less than five in
Cova Lima are not growing at the
proper rate, 58% are underweight and
16% are severely malnourished.
Diseases such as malaria, respiratory
infections, skin diseases, diarrhoea
and gastroenteritis run rife among
children here. Sadly, those who are
severely underweight stand little
chance of surviving.
What’s worse, right now in Timor-Leste,
it’s the hungry season — the period
when household stocks of maize and
rice have finished and the maize harvest
has not yet begun. This lasts from
November to March, each year, leaving
90% of the population without enough
food to eat. Compounding the problem
are the drought-like conditions which
the Timorese have endured for the past
four years, resulting in poor harvests
which don’t cover their dietary needs.
To respond to the food and malnutrition
crises, we have initiated nutrition
promotion, food processing and
agriculture projects in communities across
Cova Lima. These three projects work
together to support communities to grow
and cook nutritious foods, process fresh
produce so it lasts longer, improve rice
and maize yields, grow a wider range
of crops and access foods such as
fish and eggs that are high in protein.
Oxfam Australia’s Cova Lima District
Nutrition Program Coordinator Edi Setyo
explains that much of the program is
about re-educating the community about
simple things like including more fats and
proteins in their diets and eating a wider
variety of fruits and vegetables to ensure
they are getting all the essential nutrients.
“A lot of these people don’t know that
their children should eat three times a day
or that they should eat a variety of food
and prepare it well; they don’t know they
should be using their water to wash their
children’s hands before eating; they don’t
eat very much animal protein, even
though they have a lot of pigs, goats,
cows and chickens,” Edi says.
“Our program is about educating the
parents about giving their children more
staple foods, more nutritious foods, using
foods that are in season, showing them
ways of processing the food to make it
last longer, promoting personal hygiene,
especially hand-washing and keeping
the nails clean.
“It’s also about getting the community to
do food planning; to think about what they
need, look at growing different fruits and
vegetables, look at the different methods
available for growing and planting rice and
perhaps use a more suitable method.”
A new approach we are using in
Timor-Leste is called “The Hearth”
— a 12-week nutrition program
in which 20 children who have been
identified as being malnourished,
Oxfam News
7
I am learning very
many new things —
like cooking healthier
food for my children,
washing their hands,
cutting their nails and
how to care for my children
so they don’t get sick.
A young boy washes his hands before eating at
Oxfam Australia’s nutrition program in Raiketan village,
Timor-Leste. Photo: John Sones/OxfamAUS
their parents and trained volunteer
community educators come together
to practice new cooking, feeding,
hygiene and caring behaviours.
These intensive two-hour sessions, known
as “Pos Gizis”, take place every day for 12
days and involve weighing the children,
washing their hands and cooking nutritious
recipes, as well as playing feeding and
health education.
The sessions then stop for 12 days
during which parents are encouraged to
continue what they have learned at home.
The community educators visit the parents
to see whether the new practices are
being incorporated into the families’ daily
lives. This process continues for several
more cycles and when the children’s
height–weight ratio has returned to normal
they “graduate” from the program.
Meliana knows how important it is that
she brings Zulito and Tarziso along to
every session. “I come every day,” she
said. “I want my children to be healthy.”
We currently support 58 Pos Gizis
across Cova Lima, working closely with
the Cova Lima District Health Services,
which conducts regular monitoring visits
and supplies Vitamin A and de-worming
tablets to help boost the children’s
immunity to disease.
Senor Joao Cardoso Moruk, from the
Macauter Community Health Centre,
travels between Pos Gizis on his motorbike
to monitor the activities and make sure the
children are attending. “The Pos Gizi has
been running well. Even the people who
are not involved in this program are asking
Oxfam’s help to set up posts in other
villages,” Senor Moruk says.
JEF Coordinator Benjamin Dos Santos
Barreto is also finding the program popular
with local communities. “The people are
changing their behaviours,” he says.
“The program is working and because
of the success of the program, more
people in the community want to come.
As more people have become aware of
the program, numbers have increased.”
In each village, there are often children
with normal nutritional status as a result
of their carers using positive nutritional
practices. These practices are identified
and then promoted within the wider
community. This is done so that families
with malnourished children can use
existing practices within the community
to help make their child healthy.
Each mother brings 100 grams of rice or
maize per child to the Pos Gizi, as well
as vegetables from their garden or some
water or firewood. If the child cannot eat
You can help children in Timor-Leste grow up healthy by
donating to our 2005 Peace Appeal. Call 1800 088 110 or
donate securely on-line at www.oxfam.org.au/donate
8
Oxfam Australia
all the food at the Pos Gizi, they take it
home. Today’s meal consists of boiled rice
mixed with eggs, garlic, fish, white spinach
and oil, followed up by a delicious ripe
banana, a fruit which is plentiful in these
parts. It is a meal which is very rich in the
essential proteins, fats and other vitamins
and minerals that the children are lacking.
“Families here would not normally give
bananas to their children to eat. They
aren’t really seen as food for the children.
Instead, they sell them,” Edi says.
“By giving them bananas we are
promoting the idea that there are foods
readily available that they can use.”
Zulito and Tarziso eagerly tuck into
their big bowls of rice. At least they are
getting lunch today. Usually they eat
only breakfast and dinner and even then
it might be just some boiled rice or a
cake-like food made from cassava flour.
Meliana says the program has made a big
difference to her family. “I am learning very
many new things — like cooking healthier
food for my children, washing their hands,
cutting their nails and how to care for my
children so they don’t get sick,” she says.
“It is good because we are also able to
use the things we learn here at home
with our families in our daily lives.”
The good news is that Zulito and
Tarziso are gaining weight and their
health is improving.
Timor women create history
History was created in Timor-Leste this year, when women were
elected to village councils for the first time. Maureen Bathgate met
some of the inspirational women who have broken new ground.
It’s not often you can say that you have
been a part of history, but that’s just what
happened for 90 women who became
the first women to be elected onto their
Suco (village) Councils in Timor-Leste’s
Cova Lima district earlier this year.
The Timor-Leste Government paved the
way for this change in 2003, when it
passed an electoral law which provided
two seats on each council specifically for
women and enabled women to stand for
any other positions, including village chief.
It’s a big change for Timor-Leste,
whose culture and customs are
traditionally patriarchal. Previously, men
occupied all community leadership
positions in rural villages and women
had no voice in decision-making.
Some of Timor-Leste’s first woman village councillors, (back row from left) Maria de Fatima, Ana Maria Pereira,
Feliberta de Jesus, (Front row from left) Celesthina Madeira with daughter Christiana Madeira, Cariana Barreto
Amaral and Aliansi Feto Distict Coordinator Avelina da Costa. Photo: John Sones/OxfamAUS.
In order to encourage as many women
as possible to stand as candidates in
the 2005 elections, we joined forces with
local partners Fokupers and Aliansi Feto,
to conduct a series of workshops to
encourage women to become leaders
in local government.
one of the workshops. As a mother of
three young children, she now fits the
twice-monthly council meetings and
other councillor commitments around her
usual work caring for her family, cooking
meals and doing household chores.
“Sometimes the women are far away from
the health centre and they get problems
when delivering children. They cannot
go to the health centre for many reasons,
because lack of information or maybe
lack of transportation,” Feliberta explains
In Cova Lima District, more than 5,000
women from all seven sub-districts attended
these workshops, receiving information
on their right to stand as candidates and
what the nomination process involved.
“There has been some negative response
from the men in the village. They say that
the woman councillors are not able to do
anything for our village, but we say that
we can do something very important for
our village as a councillor,” Cariana says.
“As a woman and a councillor, if some
woman or some mother has to deliver
children, we are the ones linked with
the health centre and we can give
information to help the mothers.”
From this, 400 women registered
as candidates, with about 80–90%
participating in subsequent candidate
training sessions on running
election campaigns, planning and
having community discussions.
At the Suco elections in May 2005,
90 women were elected as Suco
Councillors, an average of three women
per village. In the village of Fatululik,
Lucia Guteres was elected Cova Lima
district’s first-ever woman Suco Chief from
a field of five candidates, including men.
Cariana Barreto Amaral was elected as
a Suco Councillor in the village of Matai,
near Maucatar, after initially attending
“The biggest problem is domestic
violence. Domestic violence is very
threatening everywhere, especially our
district, every day. If there is any conflict
between husband and wife, sometimes
the men just protect their fellow man.
So if the woman has problems with
her husband, I want to help my fellow
women to resolve their problems.”
Feliberta De Jesus, who was elected
as Suco Councillor for Suai Loro,
says childbirth difficulties was one
of the many things she wished to
address in her role as councillor.
Aliansi Feto District Coordinator
Avelina Da Costa says that traditionally,
women’s needs had been neglected
in their villages, largely due to the
men’s monopoly on councils.
“As councillors, if these women are
very active and help their fellow women,
then maybe these positive activities can
encourage other women to become
candidates in the next election,” Avelina
says. “In the next five years, I believe there
will be more women involved in every
structure in government in Timor-Leste.”
Oxfam News
9
The massive earthquake which hit Pakistan and India
in October killed more than 73,000 people and left
up to three million homeless. As winter sets in and
temperatures plummet, Oxfam’s Shaista Aziz tells
of the race against time to deliver aid.
A race against
ISLAMABAD, 11–15 OCTOBER
Muzafarabad has had its heart ripped
out and its people are grieving, many
silently as they are too numb to shed tears.
Their glazed eyes and slumped bodies
give you an idea of just how badly some
of the survivors are suffering.
The smell of death hangs thick in the
air and everywhere you look there are
collapsed houses and buildings and the
odd personal belonging here and there
scattered amongst the debris.
I arrived in Muzafrabad expecting the
worse — but nothing can prepare you
for the magnitude of the destruction
and the human misery.
I sat and spoke to a group of women
in one of Muzafrabad’s main parks —
a beautiful green space full of flowers
now home to a group of men, women
and children who have nowhere left to
time
go. One of the women talked to me at
length about how she had lost her two
children when her house came crashing
down over her head. She said she had
managed to survive because it was
God’s will and she had been chosen to
keep alive. I asked where she was living
now and she pointed to a tree in the
park and told me that she slept under
the tree and had nothing, no blanket,
no money and no food. It was at this
point that I noticed her bulging belly that
looked out of place on her fragile frame
and I realized that she was pregnant.
The first UK aid flight carrying aid
supplied by Oxfam and Islamic Relief
arrived at Islamabad airport earlier today.
On the plane were 600 Oxfam thermal
tents and 19,000 blankets brought by
the charity Islamic Relief. A further 200
Oxfam thermal tents are expected
to arrive later today.
Oxfam worker Shaista Aziz assists with a delivery of Oxfam aid
being unloaded at Islamabad airport in Pakistan. Photo: Naureen Khan/Oxfam.
Winter officially starts in three days in
Pakistan and so aid agencies like Oxfam
will be pushing on with making sure
that aid is transported to the areas in
greatest need. Tomorrow Oxfam will be
distributing double blankets, thermal
tents and reinforced plastic sheeting in
Pakistan-administrated Kashmir and our
co-coordinating office here in Islamabad is
working on securing transport for more aid
distribution in the coming hours and days.
Another Oxfam aid plane is due into
Islamabad airport early tomorrow morning
with children’s winter clothing, water
equipment, hygiene kits and buckets.
Our logistics teams are busy preparing to
receive the flight. We’re also working on
sourcing thousands more blankets from
Pakistan and Dubai.
This is a massive relief operation and it’s
all really coming together now as more
supplies arrive. Oxfam should have a
helicopter by early next week, which
will help us to distribute aid to some of
the most remote villages that have been
devastated by this disaster.
Since the earthquake, Oxfam has been
working around the clock. We’ve been
assessing the needs of the survivors and
working to get aid into Islamabad and
then out to the worst-affected areas in the
North West Frontier Province and Pakistanadministered Kashmir.
In the five days since the disaster, Oxfam
has distributed blankets and tents to
communities in the northwest of the
country, Pakistan-administered Kashmir
and India-administered Kashmir. We have
already reached thousands of people
in the northwest and are building up our
capacity to reach 660,000 people overall.
The earthquake survivors still desperately need our help.
To donate to our South Asia earthquake appeal call
1800 034 034 or donate online at www.oxfam.org.au
10
Oxfam Australia
Extracts taken from the diary of Oxfam aid
worker Shaista Aziz who was in Pakistan
immediately after the earthquake as part of
Oxfam International’s emergency response.
AFTER THE TSUNAMI
THE FIRST 12 MONTHS
Photos: OxfamAUS and OxfamGB
THE TSUNAMI
Hardest hit were Indonesia, India,
Sri Lanka and Thailand, however as
the waves continued, they reached
Burma (Myanmar), Malaysia,
Maldives, Seychelles and the eastern
coastlines of Madagascar and Somalia.
On Sunday 26 December 2004
a magnitude 9.0 earthquake
occurred off the north-west
coast of Sumatra in Indonesia.
It unleashed a devastating
tsunami that travelled thousands
of kilometres across the Indian
Ocean, taking with it more
than 230,000 lives, millions
of homes and hundreds of
thousands of livelihoods.
From day one, Oxfam Australia has
been on the ground in India and
Sri Lanka, working with our longestablished partners. We are also
part of the wider Oxfam International
response in Aceh, Indonesia. Our
field staff worked with our partners
to recover and bury bodies, set up
camps, provide urgent food, water,
shelter, sanitation and toiletries and
give voice to the many hundreds of
thousands of tsunami-affected people.
Our first priority was to save lives,
reduce public health risks, ensure
adequate shelter, help rebuild roads,
water supply systems and other
infrastructure, and restore livelihoods.
In the weeks following the disaster,
we rushed emergency aid to
survivors, distributing relief items
and materials for shelter, setting up
washing facilities and toilets and
promoting good hygiene.
Relief work has now largely given
way to the rehabilitation phase of our
disaster response to help tsunamiaffected communities find longer-term
solutions to their problems. While
the predicted outbreaks of disease
have been prevented, the challenge
of rehabilitation, reconstruction and
restoration of livelihoods remains huge.
With our local partners, we are
providing sustainable sources of clean
water, helping people to restart their
small businesses, giving women and
men a greater say in issues which affect
them and building durable transitional
shelters. Where complex land
ownership issues allow, we are helping
residents to build permanent housing.
At the heart of our work is our
determination to ensure that tsunami
survivors, especially women and
marginalised people, have both a
voice in determining their own needs
and a choice in how these needs can
be met — where they live, what work
they do or how relief is distributed.
The scale of the disaster means that it
will take years before reconstruction is
complete and people’s long-term needs
are addressed. It will be a marathon
effort, not a sprint. We have made a
commitment to ensure this happens.
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
I remember visiting the coastal
village of Manakudy in India,
just days after the tsunami.
Aside from the odd house here
or there, everything seemed to
have been flattened.
There I met a young man called
Anthony, a fisherman about 17 years
old, who had lost both his father and
his sister in the tsunami. He was
gathering up a few scraps of torn
clothing and what was now useless
netting and put them on top of a
few bricks which he had identified
as coming from his family’s home.
He explained that this pitiful pile of
possessions, along with the clothing
he was standing in, was all that he
had left.
Person after person I met spoke about
their experiences on the day of the
tsunami and since, detailing the loss
of life in their villages, but also their
determination to rebuild their lives
and communities.
ABOVE: Oxfam Australia Executive Director Andrew Hewett
listens to a tsunami survivor in India Photo: OxfamAUS.
2
Oxfam Australia
community, who responded so
generously to the devastation.
The tsunami is the single biggest
challenge we have ever faced as an
agency. It was horrifying and the
consequences will be felt for many
years. We are committed to working
with the affected communities in the
long-term.
Our priority has been the most
marginalised — to ensure that the
voices their voices were heard and that
they were able to make choices about
the relief and reconstruction effort.
In October, I went to Sri Lanka to see
how our reconstruction effort is taking
shape. With the support of Oxfam and
local partner organisations, people
are building new transitional housing.
We are making a difference; we are
helping to rebuild their lives, their
communities and their livelihoods.
This booklet tells that story.
None of our work would have been
possible without you, the Australian
Andrew Hewett
Executive Director
SRI LANKA
IMPACT
Dead and missing: 38,940
Displaced: 443,000
Homes destroyed: 90,000
Livelihoods lost: 516,150
Damage: USD$ 1.5 billion
OXFAM AUSTRALIA RESPONSE
Districts: Batticaloa, Ampara,
Hambantota
Villages: 34
Camps: 39
Partners: 8
Food and non-food relief: 139,414
Water and sanitation: 5,434
Health and hygiene: 17,593
Livelihood support: 7,029
Shelter: 19,138
Community education: 17,098
Impact figures sourced from BBC, United Nations
Development Program, Financial Times and Asian
Development Bank.
Response figures to 25 September 2005.
THE FIRST DAY
Gowthaman Balandacharan,
Oxfam Australia Field
Representative, Sri Lanka
“The scene before me was one of
complete devastation and I saw many
dead bodies. I saw huge fishing boats
on the tops of roofs, and houses,
Our longstanding presence in the
tsunami-affected areas of Sri Lanka
meant we were on the ground from
day one, working with our partners
to set up camps, retrieve and bury
bodies, establish camp committees
and distribute water, dhal, rice and
milk biscuits and other essential
items like soap, shampoo, toothpaste,
toothbrushes, kitchen utensils, pots,
pans, buckets and water containers.
We are ensuring that our response
is sensitive to the needs of women,
providing bathing, sanitation and
shelter facilities that give women
and girls privacy and security and
providing materials for bindis — the
ornamental red dot worn by married
Hindi women. We are also acting to
change attitudes. We are training camp
managers and security forces in how
to respond effectively to gender issues,
particular violence against women,
completely flattened and washed away.
I started picking up dead bodies,
moving people in to temporary camps
and taking the injured to hospital.
Surprisingly, I didn’t hear people crying,
I suppose it was beyond that.
Next day, we continued to pick out
people from under the rubble, and
even these people trapped for over a
and working with camp management
committees to give women greater
roles in decision-making.
Families in Amparai district were
supported with medical treatment
for three months, particularly aimed
at pregnant mothers, babies and
children. We also provided free
health clinics in Hambantota.
Our livelihoods programs have
provided equipment, cash grants and
loans to help men and women start
small businesses such as tailoring,
carpentry, rearing goats, fishing,
making coir products and producing
bricks. Basic farming equipment,
seeds, livestock and agricultural
training have also been provided.
In-depth consultation with
communities has meant that shelters
are designed and built specifically to
day, weren’t crying, just sad, solemn
and quietly thankful. In lines we
started to pile up the dead bodies,
in the car parks of hospitals, and
the mortuary car park and outside
on the road. Then we started the
awful job of identifying the bodies
and bringing in the deceased’s
friends and relatives to help with this.
meet people’s needs. We have
also constructed acclaimed model
shelters so that other aid agencies
and local communities can reproduce
them or adapt the designs.
We are also building infrastructure
for settlement sites including roads,
drainage, community centres
and children’s play areas and are
constructing and cleaning wells
to provide clean water. To ensure
that building materials come from
renewable sources we imported
8,500 cubic metres of plantation
timber from Australia.
A marketing program has been set
up to enable poor families to obtain
essential foodstuffs at fair prices,
without having to rely on credit
from shop owners. This will help
them become self-reliant now that
government rations have stopped.
We also helped our partners setting
up temporary camps and shelters,
accessing as much food as we could,
doing cooking, and establishing
community kitchens. Water was
particularly scarce; the tsunami had
salinated all the drinking water, so
a big priority for us was to get in as
much fresh water as we could.”
ABOVE: Craig Smollin, a volunteer doctor from New York, checks a patient at a mobile health clinic. supported by Oxfam Australia. Photo: Jerry Galea/OxfamAUS.
INSET: Gowthaman Balandacharan. Photo: Martin Wurt/OxfamAUS.
After the tsunami
3
INDIA
IMPACT
Dead: 12,405
Missing: 3,874
OXFAM AUSTRALIA RESPONSE
Districts: Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu,
Kerala, Orissa, Pondicherry
Villages: 155
Partners: East Coast Development
Forum, a network of 15 partners
Food relief: 73,895
Non-food relief: 22,000
Livelihood support: 15,593 families
Development Bank.
THE FIRST DAY
ABOVE: Ms Kaliyammawith outside her shop, set up through an Oxfam Australia supported self-help group.
The shop gives her valuable income and a sense of great pride and achievement. Photo: Martin Wurt/OxfamAUS.
INSET: Augustine Ullatil. Photo: Jerry Galea/OxfamAUS.
The coastal communities along the
east coast of India that we have
worked with over the past 24 years
were the hardest hit in India.
Our longstanding relationships
with local partners and communities
enabled us to respond to the tsunami
from the first day.
For our tsunami response, we have
worked almost entirely through a
network of 15 partners who have
come together to form the East Coast
Development Forum.
In the early relief phase, we helped
partners retrieve and bury bodies and
mobilise volunteers. We provided
14,779 households with food
including rice, lentils, biscuits and
spices. Another 4,400 households
Augustine Ullatil,
Oxfam Australia Field
Representative, India
provide survivors with drinking water.
I was also helping to mobilise
as many volunteers as possible,
many of whom were students.
“I drove from Bangalore to the coast
and became involved immediately
in the relief effort. The most urgent
task I saw was to transport the
injured people to hospital and to
There was a lot of work involved to dig
in to the debris and remove the dead
bodies. It affects you terribly, especially
when I had been working in the area for
so many years and knew many of the
4
Oxfam Australia
received kitchen equipment
including pots, pans, plates, knives,
forks, cups and cooking utensils.
Since the relief phase, our work
in India has focussed primarily
on re-establishing livelihoods.
Through our partners we are
providing self-help groups with small
grants, revolving loans and access
to reasonable credit from financial
institutions for income generation.
So far about 15,593 families across
Tamilnadu, Pondicherry, Kerala and
Andhra Pradesh have received these
grants to start businesses such as
making fishing nets, tailoring, making
rope, rearing chickens and running
small shops, while others buy essential
equipment such as refrigerators and
bicycles to help them earn an income.
people who had died. I found burying
the dead the hardest thing of all.
Our next task was to provide
temporary shelter which we did using
schools, churches, temples and other
community houses. Also to provide
clean undergarments for the women,
as well as organising distribution of
food and non-food items.
Many of the self-help groups being
assisted through the program are
groups which our partners established
long before the tsunami struck.
The pre-existing structure, skills
and capacity enabled these groups
to undertake relief and rehabilitation
programs quickly and efficiently. Not
only have existing self-help groups
been strengthened, but many new
ones have been created. Overall, 98%
of group members are women.
Two of our program partners are
working exclusively with Dalits
and Irula tribal people — the two
most marginalised tsunami-affected
communities in India. We were one
of the first aid agencies to support
the work of the Irula Tribal Women’s
Welfare Society, providing urgent
food relief in the first week.
The second day I helped to organise
community kitchens, mobilise more
volunteers, and consult with the
affected communities.
By day three, the stench from the
dead bodies was awful, it completely
overcame you, and is something
I will certainly never forget.”
ABOVE: Ibnu Sakdan plants mangrove seedlings in Alua Deah Baro village,
Aceh, Indonesia. Photo: Jim Holmes/Oxfam INSET: Antonius Indrianto
Photo: John Sones/OxfamAUS.
INDONESIA
IMPACT
Dead: 131,029
Missing: 37,000
Displaced: 556,638
OXFAM INTERNATIONAL
RESPONSE
Areas: Aceh Selatan, Aceh Barat,
Aceh Besar, Aceh Utara, Pidie, Nias
Villages: 110
Partners: 56
Public health: 204,136
Shelter: 40,577
Livelihood support: 66,428
The Indonesian province of Aceh,
located 150km from the earthquake’s
epicentre, suffered the heaviest loss
of life and destruction in the tsunami.
The tsunami destroyed much of
Aceh’s water supply system. Initially
we installed water bladders to truck
more than 55 million litres of drinking
water to camps and barracks. As
people move back to their villages,
we are adopting more sustainable
solutions such as building or
repairing more than 3,200 wells and
installing spring water supply systems
to provide villages with piped water.
We installed emergency latrines and
bathing areas in camps, which were
segregated for privacy and lit for safety.
To help prevent disease we are using
radio broadcasts and workshops to
spread health information and we
organised the collection, disposal and
recycling of household waste.
We initially distributed tents and
household items containing mugs,
plates, mats, buckets, bowls, water
containers, utensils, rice bins, pots
and pans to 6,000 households and
provided materials and tools for
building temporary shelters. A further
2,344 shelter kits were distributed
after the earthquake in Nias, southwest of Aceh, in March.
completed by the end of 2005.
The houses are fitted with water
and sanitation facilities such as
latrines, a well and a bathing area.
More than 10,000 people participated
in cash-for-work programs early in
the relief phase to undertake urgent
community recovery activities such
as repairing roads, building bridges,
community centres and mosques,
clearing land and replanting mangroves.
Oxfam plans to build 4,000
earthquake-resistant houses by
2007, of which 720 are due to be
These are now being succeeded by
long-term livelihoods programs which
involve providing cash grants to
start small businesses or distributing
materials and tools. In Meulaboh,
we have supported 1,267 farming
families with tools, hand tractors,
fertilisers and seeds. Nearby, we
support a metalworking group which
produces farming tools for them.
Antonius Indrianto,
Oxfam Australia Team
Leader, Timor-Leste
first things I saw were photos stuck to
the wall of people who went missing
in the tsunami. They were mostly of
children. It was very confronting.
I focussed on administration work,
supporting the field teams, recruiting
new staff, doing interviews, giving
orientation for new staff.
they still had spirit. They told me their
stories of sadness, deaths, losing their
families, however they still had a great
belief for the future.”
“The airport at Aceh was very busy
when I arrived. There was a lot of
noise, people everywhere and many
helicopters and planes. One of the
We went to the Oxfam office. We lived
and worked there — about 40 of us
— from morning until midnight. The
activity never stopped.
After three days, I had the opportunity
to go out and look around the town
and see the scale of the devastation.
The Achenese people were sad but
*Antonius was seconded to
Aceh as part of the Oxfam
International response.
Development Bank.
Public health includes food relief, non-food relief,
water and sanitation.
TSUNAMI REFLECTIONS
Hygiene has been crucial to stop the
spread of disease. In the early days,
we distributed hygiene kits containing
toothpaste, soap, shampoo and
toothbrushes. We also distributed
essential items such as sanitary
towels and headscarves for women.
After the tsunami
5
[10]
[2]
[1]
[8]
[11] [4]
Above (clockwise from top left): Humidha – Peter Chamberlain/OxfamAUS: Nagendram – Jerry Galea/OxfamAUS; Devi – Martin Wurt/OxfamAUS;
Hassballah – Jim Holmes/Oxfam; Vasanthakala – Howard Davies/Oxfam; Ngatini – Jim Holmes/Oxfam
Opposite (clockwise from top left): Fateema – Howard Davies/Oxfam; Dedi – Jim Holmes/Oxfam; Jayageetha – Guy Clarke/OxfamAUS;
Malar – Howard Davies/Oxfam; Selvi – Sibasankar Das/OxfamAUS; Justin – Howard Davies/Oxfam
TSUNAMI REFLECTIONS
[1] “On the first day of the tsunami
we established nine camps in this
region and soon after set up a camp
committee in each one so we could
liaise through this with all those
in the camp. We already had an
established presence in this area and
had worked with Oxfam Australia as a
partner for some time, so we were in
a good position to respond when this
tsunami came, particular to organised
distribution of food and non-food
items in those first days. We also ran
the boat service across the estuary,
when the bridge was down which
was essential in getting Oxfam relief
supplies to the camps on the
north side.”
Nagendram Peramalathevi,
Koralai Pattu North
Development Union coordinator,
Batticaloa, Sri Lanka
6
Oxfam Australia
[2] “Oxfam Australia gave us rice,
dhal and biscuits. They were of good
quality and have lasted for a long time.
We have not starved because of that.
I have received 5,000 rupees (AUD
$150) as a grant to purchase a fishing
net. We have formed a self-help group.
Through this we will be able to fish
and earn adequate to feed ourselves.
They have given us utensils — we
would never have purchased them
in our life time. We are fortunate. We
have a house to live, food to feed our
children and funds to start a livelihood
that we are familiar with. It may be
possible for us to become independent
fisher men and women with a small
boat and a net and not be exploited
by the boat owners whom we were
depending on to provide a living.”
Devi, Masimaga Nagar, India
[3] “We were shown two different
designs for the shelters by TCDO
which Oxfam had builit — one with
wooden plank sides and the other
corrugated steel. We decided on the
corrugated sides as it floods here
later when the monsoon comes and
it will be better. We all wanted the
coconut matting roofs, as these are
much cooler than having ones made
of metal. We were also able to make
some suggestions for improving the
design. When it came to planning
who would live where, we had many
discussions within the committee
— first people could state their
preferences, for instance, if they had
family, they would like to live near
— and we gave priority first to the
elderly and those families who had
lost someone in the tsunami.”
Malar, Thiraimadu camp,
[4] “I worked at the cement factory.
When the earthquake happened I
was filling the car with fuel. I set off
to find my family, but by the time
I was passing the cement factory
I saw that the water had risen so
high —14 metres. I ran away. The
water was getting closer and closer.
I couldn’t think about anything but
how I could survive. I hurt my foot,
but kept on going. When I reached
the mountain, the space between me
and the water was about three metres.
When I came back I saw my village
had been destroyed. One daughter
survived. I don’t have anything
else left. All gone — wife, son,
my mother and father, my house.
It’s too hard to think about the future.”
Hasballah Ar, Leupung, Aceh
[5] [12]
[6]
[3]
[7]
[9]
[5] “Each Friday evening we meet
with the community and bring to
Oxfam Australia any concerns. We do
not have a drink problem which some
of the camps have, but there are many
issues for husbands and wives, some
financial issues of course and many
men feel anxious because they are not
able to work and they feel they have
lost status as they cannot provide for
their families in the traditional way.
We assist families in practical ways,
for instance with health promotion
– as well as with counselling and are
looking to develop these services with
Oxfam’s assistance.”
Fateema, MEESAN field officer,
Siagaram camp, Batticaloa,
Sri Lanka
[6] “We were lucky. Most of our
house was still standing, but we lost
everything else. My husband was a
fisherman, but his boat was damaged
and the motor ruined. He has not
returned to the sea since. Oxfam and
SASY (Social Awareness Society for
Youth) gave us rice, lentils and milk
biscuits. There is enough to last us
three months. Without the rice, life
would have been so much harder. We
cannot go to the money lenders in the
village, because since the tsunami they
are no longer prepared to give loans.
Things would have been very difficult.
The rice is of really good quality and the
biscuits have been helpful for
the children.”
Jayageetha, Kannikovil, India
[7] “I was drinking too much
because of all the stress we were
under — losing my daughter in the
tsunami — and then not being able
to go back to the sea to support my
family. Oxfam Australia helped us a
lot at this time. They referred me and
my wife to a counsellor and this did
help us a lot to sort out some of the
problems and to make me realise
the drinking was just making things
worse. [Oxfam Australia] really helped
us a lot through this time and we feel
more settled now. We are feeling very
happy with TCDO and Oxfam — they
have been everything for us during
this difficult time.”
Justin, Batticaloa, Sri Lanka
[8] “I had a business selling snacks,
but it’s been closed since the tsunami.
The tsunami destroyed everything.
We don’t have the capital to start
again. My kitchen has been destroyed
— it can’t be used. Before the street
cleaning started we couldn’t walk
down this street. It was full of mud
and the smell — it was like a dead
body. It was disgusting. I feel
happier now that the street’s being
cleaned. It’s easier to walk down.
The drains will soon be working
properly, so the water won’t be
coming into the house anymore.”
Ngatini, Laksana, Aceh
[9] “Before the tsunami I had
a business selling and drying
fish. Although it was a good business
it didn’t allow me to save very much.
With the livelihood loan from KKSS
and Oxfam Australia I have been able
to do so much more. My business has
grown. Instead of buying 100 rupees
of fish, I can now buy 500 rupees
worth each day. For the first time I am
able to keep enough money for three
days’ food at any time. I feel more
secure and know I can look after my
family much better.”
Selvi, Kooraikupum, India
[10] “The sea destroyed our rice
paddies. Oxfam helped clear this
land and provided fencing, fertiliser
and seed. If the land is not fenced
the monkeys come along and eat
everything.
I am very happy. Before the tsunami
I did not have any land. Now I have
a small garden. I grow many things
— long beans, sweet potatoes,
watermelons, peanuts and spinach.
For the first time I have the chance
to grow some vegetables to feed my
six children and perhaps even make
a small income.”
Humidha, widow,
Cotpaluh, Aceh
[11] “We had to fight hard to get the
land we have today and this was at
the highest level with the Government
Agent — and this was where Oxfam
became directly involved and fought
with us so we could have the land
we have today. At one point we were
so frustrated, we decided to protest
and made our way to the main road
to show how we felt. At this point
the Government Agent came and it
was agreed that we could keep this
land for the temporary shelters.”
Vasanthakala, TCDO,
[12] “Leupung was once a beautiful
place, with lots of trees, now it’s been
destroyed. Once 10,000 people lived
here, but only around 1,800 survived
the tsunami. Everything’s gone. We
were left not knowing where to live,
what we were going to do or anything
about the future. We knew Leupung
needed help so we decided to go find
someone, or an organisation, to help
us. We heard about Oxfam from the
Red Cross so we went to their office
in Bandu Aceh. I don’t want to be in
trauma forever, I want to do something
for myself and my community.”
Dedi, Leupung, Indonesia
After the tsunami
7
OUR PROMISES TO YOU
In January 2005, the Executive
Directors of four of Australia’s
biggest overseas development
agencies — Oxfam, World
Vision, Care and Caritas —
made specific promises to the
Australian community about
spending donations wisely and
making sure program work
helps those most in need.
Here are those promises
and our progress to date in
delivering on them.
Rights awareness has been a key
to ensuring that funds are spent
effectively. With our partners, we have
spent many years fostering rights
awareness among communities in
tsunami-affected regions. This paid
dividends following the tsunami,
with communities speaking out and
demanding equitable division of
funds and associated relief. In many
communities where we worked, signs
were posted in public areas stating
community entitlements.
We will do all we can to maximise
the impact of funds raised to save
and improve the lives of men,
women and children affected by
the tsunami across the region.
Our initial focus will be on
preventing the loss of further
lives through providing
essential food, clean water,
sanitation and shelter.
By 30 September 2005, we had
raised AUD $28.6 million towards
our tsunami response, bringing the
total raised by Oxfam affiliates around
the world to AUD $335 million.
All these funds are coordinated
through a central Oxfam International
mechanism, known as the Oxfam
International Tsunami Fund to ensure
that both the money raised and
Oxfam’s work is managed, reported
and communicated in an effective,
accountable and transparent manner.
Protecting public health was our first
priority. Our strong relationships
with locally-based partners enabled
them to respond immediately using
all available resources. Communities
benefited with food, water, shelter and
sanitation facilities provided when
the need was most urgent. Despite
the huge numbers of people needing
assistance, there were no outbreaks
of infectious diseases such as cholera
and dysentery which are common
after major natural disasters.
We will invest in rebuilding
communities.
Our work has focussed on rebuilding
communities by providing sustainable
sources of clean water, helping people
to restart their small businesses,
rebuilding essential infrastructure
such as roads, bridges, mosques and
community centres, rehabilitating
polluted farm land, building durable
transitional shelters, supporting men
and women to have a voice in decisions
about complex land ownership issues
and helping residents build new homes.
We will invest resources in
helping people resurrect their
livelihoods.
Short-term cash-for-work projects
were introduced early in the relief
phase as a means of providing
people with money for essential
items, while involving communities
in urgent recovery activities such
as repairing roads, building
bridges, community buildings and
transitional shelters, clearing land and
rehabilitating fields. These projects are
now being succeeded by programs
to help people, such as fisherfolk,
small-scale farmers, small business
owners and tradespeople, to establish
or restore livelihoods .
We will be accountable to the
thousands of men, women and
children we are helping. We will
strive to empower people to
determine their own needs and
have a real say in what and how
aid is provided.
We have created opportunities for
communities to manage the response,
by consulting with communities,
listening to them and designing our
response based on their expressed
needs. For example in Sri Lanka
and Indonesia, we helped form
camp committees to give men and
women from all social classes a
say in decisions. In Indonesia and
Sri Lanka, we complemented these
with suggestions/complaints boxes.
In Sri Lanka, there have we helped
establish a community Gender
Watch committee to monitor gender
discrimination and a community
8
Oxfam Australia
Aid Watch committee to monitor
the effective, efficient and nondiscriminatory distribution of aid.
We will distribute aid
impartially and on the basis
of need — not race, religion
or political affiliation.
Our priority has been to assist
the poorest, most vulnerable and
marginalised groups — women,
members of lower caste groups,
ethnic and religious minorities,
Indigenous people and tribal people.
In India we are supporting Dalits
and Irula tribal people, in Sri Lanka
we are working with Sinhalese,
Tamil and Muslim communities.
We will meet and aim to exceed
international humanitarian aid
delivery standards.
We are observing the international
Sphere standards which set minimum
requirements for service provision
in disaster response and the Red
Cross and Red Crescent Code of
Conduct which seeks to maintain
high standards of organisational
independence, effectiveness and
impact. We are also advocating for
other aid agencies and international
bodies to work to these standards.
We will be accountable
to all our donors.
We are working within an Oxfam
International monitoring and
evaluation framework based on the
internationally accepted Red Cross and
Red Crescent Code of Conduct. Oxfam
International has employed dedicated
monitoring and evaluation staff who
are based in Australia, Sri Lanka,
India and Indonesia. These staff are,
in conjunction with program staff,
implementing a plan that involves
tsunami-affected communities in
the monitoring and evaluation of
the program. The program is also
supplemented by peer and external
evaluations that are commissioned
both by the Oxfam affiliates and by
third parties such as the Tsunami
Evaluation Commission. The results
of these evaluations will be
publicly available.
OPPOSITE PAGE: Mrs N Rasidha aged 24, with her sewing machine received through an Oxfam livelihood grant at Sooriyeapuram camp, near Batticaloa, Sri Lanka.
Photo: Howard Davies/Oxfam. ABOVE: K Zamzami shows where his village Meunasah Lhok was once located. It is now permanently under water. Oxfam is advocating for
the Government to procure new land for people in this situation. Photo: Jim Holmes/Oxfam.
We will ensure that less than 10%
of funds raised will be allocated
to the costs of administering our
appeals and tsunami programs.
At 30 September 2005, only 5.02%
of funds raised had been spent on
the cost of administering our tsunami
appeal and program work.
We will spend the money
raised in those countries
affected by the tsunami.
Besides administration costs,
and the purchase of plantation
timber in Australia for shelters,
money raised in our tsunami appeal
has only been spent on our work in
tsunami-affected countries.
We will provide regular and
accurate information to donors
on our work.
Our activities and finances associated
with our tsunami response are
included in the quarterly ACFID NonGovernment Organisation Tsunami
Accountability Report. Monthly
situation updates on our tsunami
response and stories about our
program work are available on our
website (www.oxfam.org.au), along
with updated financial information.
We have also reported back to donors
through our quarterly supporter
magazine and newsletter.
Our financial accounts relating
to these and other activities
will be independently audited.
The Oxfam International Tsunami
Fund financial year ends on
31 December 2005. The financial
accounts will be independently
audited after that date.
We will spend 40%
of tsunami funds in 2005.
By 30 September 2005, 59% of funds
raised in Australia had been spent on
our work in tsunami-affected areas.
Once all these funds have been spent,
we are able to draw on funds raised
overseas by our affiliates, to continue
our work in the tsunami regions.
AN UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGE
Providing effective aid is far more complicated than simply
delivering supplies to the maximum number of people
possible. Ensuring that community needs drive the response,
that distributions are being coordinated with other agencies to
avoid duplication of efforts, and that support is reaching the
most vulnerable populations rather than simply the easiest to
access, are critical to an effective response, and all require time,
planning, and consultation. The communities we work with
are very often remote, difficult to reach and have experienced
many years of armed conflict. Then there are all sorts of other
challenges like resolving complex land ownership issues and
cutting through government red tape.
Oxfam’s 12 affiliates have agreed to pool their financial resources
and work through a common emergency response structure.
Overall, the Oxfam International response, which we are a part of,
is working in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, the Maldives, Burma,
Thailand and Somalia. Oxfam is involved in all of the key aid
co-ordination mechanisms — whether organised by governments,
non-government organisations or the United Nations Office for
the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Aid. We regularly meet with
representatives of the Australian government aid program,
AusAID and other key Australian NGOs including World Vision,
Caritas, Red Cross and CARE and, together, have developed a
common system of reporting to the Australian public, each quarter.
A copy of the latest report is available
from www.oxfam.org.au/tsunami
After the tsunami
9
A PLACE TO CALL HOME
The tsunami destroyed more
than 350,000 homes in India,
Sri Lanka and Aceh, leaving
more than a million people
homeless. With destruction
on such a massive scale, the
process of moving people to
permanent homes is expected
to take several years.
There are many factors compounding
this problem. While many families
have been granted the right to a
permanent home, many do not yet
have land on which to build it.
Entire villages were washed away
and some remain permanently
submerged under sea water. Due to
new coastal buffer zones restricting
where houses can be built, some
‘GREEN’ TREES
SHAPE NEW HOMES
The demand for wood to build shelter
in Sri Lanka is placing a huge burden
on the island’s precious forests. To
reduce the impact, we have exported
8,500 cubic metres of environmentally
friendly timber, or more than 210
containers, to Sri Lanka as part of
our shelter program. The Australian
10
Oxfam Australia
landowners simply cannot rebuild
on their land. Most tsunami-affected
people, particularly the poor, had no
formal title to the land they were
living on; so they can’t necessarily
“go back where they came from”.
Then there was the scale of the
damage and devastation — debris,
mud, trees, littered the earth as far as
the eye could see, roads and bridges
were washed away, hampering
reconstruction efforts. Communities
have been undertaking the massive
clean-up operations through cashfor-work programs, to clear land for
transitional shelters and farming.
We ensure that communities are
involved in every stage of the
plantation pine has come from
sustainable renewable sources and
has received endorsement from the
World Wildlife Fund of Australia.
The timber has been received by
a consortium of international and
local non-government organisations
including Caritas, Islamic Relief,
GOAL and International
Organisation for Migration which
Justin (back row, second form left), Jayanthi and
family outside their new transitional shelter which
Oxfam Australia built for them in Sri Lanka.
Photo: Howard Davies/Oxfam.
shelter construction process to ensure
that their new homes meet their
needs and that they have a sense
of ownership over them. Tsunami
survivors are given a say in the
location and design of the shelters
and who they wish to live next to.
So far, we have constructed
transitional shelters for 7,958
people in Batticaloa, Amparai and
Hambantota districts in Sri Lanka.
Oxfam continues to work with the
Sri Lankan, Indian and Indonesian
governments on a community-bycommunity basis to determine where
permanent shelters will be built.
Due to the lack of availability of
land and the current buffer zones,
also organised transportation to
tsunami-affected districts.
About half of the timber has been
used to construct 2,350 temporary
shelters benefiting 11,180 people,
plus community centres, schools,
sewing rooms, kitchens and other
buildings. A further 1,250 shelters
and 150 classrooms will be built
using the timber.
this is a slow and complex process
that will take time.
The permanent shelters are high
value investments that will last for
20 to 40 years. Given this, adequate
time needs to be allowed to ensure
real consultation is carried out with
communities to enable them to make
informed decisions.
Placing emphasis on speed rather
than consultation leads to people
being moved to locations in which
they are not happy, shelter design
not in keeping with local customs
and particular needs and, potentially,
disparities in benefits received, both
within and across communities.
The timber remaining in Colombo
is being treated for use in permanent
shelters. The treatment protects
the wood against insects and the
elements, making it capable of
lasting more than years.
We are also working on a similar
project to supply timber to Indonesia.
LOOKING AHEAD
From the earliest days of the
tsunami response it was clear
that the scale and severity of
the damage inflicted by the
tsunami meant that a long-term
response would be needed.
Immediate relief programs
provided food, water and
temporary shelter for those
affected — but much more
remains to be done.
In Aceh, coastal areas are scattered
with small homemade signboards
indicating where victims of the
tsunami lived — and where their
surviving relatives hope to return. Few
however have any formal title to the
land and until communities and local
authorities can agree on where they
should go, they remain crowded into
tented camps. In other instances the
tsunami has permanently changed
the coastline — areas where villages
once stood are now underwater.
As the problem is gradually resolved
we will be increasingly involved in
the provision of permanent shelter.
Shelter is a key issue — until those
who lost their homes are resettled
on a permanent basis it is difficult
to develop long-term livelihood
solutions or permanent
water supplies.
In some areas the development of
infrastructure will take some time.
Every day, Oxfam provides 49,000
people in and around Meulaboh,
Aceh, with around 500,000 litres
of treated water. We will manage a
total rehabilitation of the town water
supply — but this will take up to a
year to complete and hand over to
the Indonesian authorities. We are
also supplying clean water to many
villages in Sri Lanka and digging
wells to supply villages long after the
tsunami response ends.
In the coming year, we are likely to
focus more on disaster preparedness
and management in affected
communities. A tsunami on this scale
will hopefully never occur again in
our lifetimes – but cyclones, drought,
floods, and civil conflict are all too
common in these countries. One of
the key learnings from the tsunami is
that the strong social infrastructure
which our partners have developed
is a critical part of an effective
response. Our long-term partners and
communities in Sri Lanka and India
are the backbone of program success
and will be further strengthened and
supported over the coming years.
We can also learn from our disaster
management programs elsewhere in
Asia such as Timor Leste, Laos and
Cambodia.
We will also try to ensure that the
voices of the affected populations are
heard when the key policy decisions
are made at local and national levels.
We will try to ensure that people
have a say in where and how they are
resettled, in how their livelihoods are
re-established and that the needs of
vulnerable groups, women, the poor
and marginalised are not overlooked
in the reconstruction process.
We also have a responsibility to
keep communities informed about
our activities and expenditure.
Accountability to communities will
involve village information sessions,
participation in initiatives such as Sri
Lanka’s AidWatch and reporting back
to national governments.
The tsunami has provided
communities, governments and aid
agencies like Oxfam the chance to
“build back better” — that is, not
simply restoring poor communities to
pre-tsunami reality, but helping them
to escape the poverty that made them
so vulnerable to natural disaster in the
first place.
It is in this spirit that we are
working with communities to restart
livelihoods, lobby governments for
equitable land allocations and re-build
villages and homes. In Sri Lanka we
will construct up to 2,500 new homes
over the next four years. In India and
Sri Lanka we will continue to help
people meet their livelihood and
health needs.
Young boys in an Oxfam Austalia
supported camp in Sri Lanka.
Photo: Jerry Galea/OxfamAUS.
After the tsunami
11
Young children stand near new shelters in Thiraimadu camp, Sri Lanka, built with support from Oxfam Australia. Photo: Jim Holmes/Oxfam.
Editor Maureen Bathgate Picture Editors Martin Wurt and Robert McKechnie
Design Paoli Smith Print Work & Turner Proofreader Nina Field
Contributors Gowthaman Balachandran, Jane Beesley, Tania Cass,
Peter Chamberlain, Alison Cleary, Richard Doyle, Pauline Fowlie, Andrew Hewett,
Antonius Indrianto, Nalini Kasynathan, Andy Kenyon, Visha Padmanabhan,
Katharine Radford, Tory Ray, Augustine Ullatil.
Published December 2005 by Oxfam Australia 156 George Street, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065 Australia
ABN 18 055 208 636/CC 29173. The publisher does not necessarily endorse views expressed by
contributors to Oxfam News.
Printed on 100% Envirocare Recycled Paper supplied by KW Doggett.
website www.oxfam.org.au email enquire@oxfam.org.au donation hotline 1800 088 110
Remote river communities in Papua New Guinea
are uniting to speak out against mining company
DRD Gold which is dumping contaminated mine
waste directly into their precious water sources.
River of
poison
Amid the lush green mountains of
Tolukuma, Papua New Guinea, a river
flows like molasses through the valleys.
More than 70 kilometres downstream, in
the village of Inauauni, the same river is
nearly barren — its once abundant fish
populations dwindling, with the surviving
few fish unfit for human consumption.
This is the fate of the Auga-Angabanga
River System, which serves as the
depository for more than 160,000 tonnes
of heavy metals-contaminated mine
waste from the Tolukuma Gold Mine each
year. The mine, owned and operated
by Australian Stock Exchange listed
company Durban Roodepoort Deep
Ltd (DRD Gold) has been at the root of
community complaints for several years.
In 2000, Oxfam Australia’s Mining
Ombudsman took up the case of
Tolukuma. Community members
reported that the river which once
gave them drinking water and a place
to bathe is now unfit for use. The same
river which helped to sustain their
riverside gardens is now a threat
to their food sources.
Local villagers living along the Auga River show how their feet have turned yellow since DRD Gold started
dumping mine waste directly into the river. Photo: Grant Walton/CERD.
of the Auga-Angabanga River came
together to discuss the impacts of the mine
on their daily lives. For many, this was the
first time they had shared their experiences
with people from other communities.
Over the course of the four-day summit, it
became clear that all communities felt they
were suffering the impacts of the mine’s
dumping, regardless of how close they
lived to the dumping point.
As one community member noted,
“Our people have lived on this land for
2000 years. We probably now have one
of the richest alluvial soils in the country.
What happens with the flooding that’s
coming annually in the rains [is] that
richness in the soil is now under threat
from the poison from this [river] water.
So, this threatens the basis of life in
our communities”.
After sharing their experiences and
concerns, representatives worked in
their respective community groups to
create action plans. The plans symbolise
an important move towards community
solidarity around the issue of water
pollution from the mine and also reflect
the communities’ ability to advocate
and campaign for themselves.
In June this year, Oxfam Australia, in
partnership with the PNG-based Centre for
Environmental Research and Development
(CERD), sponsored the Summit of Mine
Affected Communities. Women and men
from communities located along the length
All three communities planned to
disseminate information gained from
the summit within their villages upon
returning home. This type of skill building
is part of Oxfam Australia’s aim to enable
communities to have a more equal voice
and to advocate effectively for themselves
about issues which concern them.
Margaret, representing the small village
of Mekeo at the summit said: “I have
been seeing researchers from the mine,
coming and getting reports and doing all
the samplings of the river system. We ask
to see the reports, but there is no proper
answer, no feedback from the mine. So,
[I think] we should form a group — this is
what we haven’t been doing. Now is a good
time to form a group and elect a chairman
who can be a voice for us to the company.”
Although the women, men and children
affected by the Tolukuma mine face an
ongoing struggle over the mine’s negative
impacts, they now have a more unified
voice. They also have the continuing
support of Oxfam Australia’s Mining
Ombudsman Project and CERD.
Story by Sara Bice, Oxfam Australia’s
former Mining Ombudsman Advocacy
Coordinator.
The Mining Ombudsman Project is currently monitoring five cases concerning mineaffected communities in four countries. Further information is available from our website
at www.oxfam.org.au/campaigns/mining or via email to miningombudsman@oxfam.org.au
Oxfam News
11
Crunch time
THIS PAGE: Oxfam Australia
dumps sugar at Customs House
in Sydney to highlight the impact
of European sugar subsidies is
having on developingcountries.
Photo: Matthew Vasilescu/
Ozbecmedia.
for world trade
It’s make or break time for the World Trade Organisation as
the Make Poverty History campaign steps up its push for
fairer trade rules, as Nina Field and Carly Hammond report.
The average cow in Europe receives a
government subsidy of USD$2.20 a day,
thanks to the US$16 billion the European
Union spends each year on subsiding its
dairy industry. That cow earns more than
half the world’s population who live on
less than $2 a day.
It’s these sorts of rigged trade rules which
favour rich countries and big companies
that the global Make Poverty History
campaign is trying to stamp out.
From 13–18 December, Trade Ministers
from 148 countries will meet in Hong Kong
at the World Trade Organisation’s biennial
conference to review and modify
trade rules.
In the lead-up to the conference, the
Make Poverty History coalition will stage
its third global day of action on Saturday
10 December, turning the spotlight onto
trade justice.
Developed countries spend more than
USD $300 billion each year on subsidies
for their farmers — the equivalent of the
entire combined income of Africa. At
the same time, developed countries are
aggressively pushing developing countries
to open up their own markets. Much of the
agricultural produce from Europe and the
United States is then dumped at extremely
low prices on world markets, locking
developing countries into poverty.
For example, European sugar growers
receive subsidies of billions of dollars a
year to grow far more sugar than could
ever be consumed in Europe, while the
rest is dumped on export markets at
prices far below the cost of production.
This has helped Europe to become the
biggest exporter of sugar in the world,
capturing 40% of the world’s sugar trade.
At the same time, Europe restricts the
entry of sugar into its own markets from
developing countries like Mozambique
and Ethiopia by slugging tariffs of up to
140% on sugar imports and quotas. As a
result, Ethiopia’s lost income from sugar
exports has been estimated to be enough
to pay for its total health-care budget.
This is in spite of the fact that farmers in
developing countries like Malawi, Brazil,
Guatemala, Zambia and Colombia can
produce white sugar far more cheaply
than farmers in Europe — US$280 a tonne
compared to US$660 a tonne.
Mzo Mzoneli, a smallholder sugar farmer,
from KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa
says: “Low world sugar prices and the
dumping of sugar are a problem…I would
12
Oxfam Australia
like to see sugar subsidies cut and a
global levelling of the playing field.
European farmers should farm something
more suitable to their climate. This would
allow developing countries, particularly the
small scale growers, to grow more sugar
cane for the world market, which would
improve my situation. I can’t grow anything
other than sugar cane.”
For peasant farmers in poor countries
dumping of surpluses has inflicted real
pain, as under-priced European and
American farm produce enters their
markets and reduces their ability to sell
their produce, literally forcing poor local
producers out of their livelihoods.
The Australian government has been a
tireless advocate of trade liberalisation,
but we want to see it play a leadership
role by pushing for fairer trade for
developing countries at the WTO meeting
this month. This includes pursuing a
rapid phase out of export subsidies
which encourage dumping and enabling
developing countries to decide the pace
and extent of trade liberalisation of their
own agricultural markets.
To reinforce these points, our advocacy
and campaign staff held talks on fair
trade with key politicians from all parties
in October and November. An Oxfam
Australia Make Poverty History trade
road trip was also held in November,
with our campaigners raising awareness
about trade issues on a bus trip through
sugar-growing areas of Queensland.
These road trips are also happening
worldwide — in Ecuador, Brazil, the United
States, United Kingdom, Holland, Nigeria,
Ghana, Zambia, Philippines, Indonesia,
Albania, Israel/West Bank and Hong Kong.
They are all converging on the WTO
Oxfam supporters show their support for the Make Povery History campaign. Photo: Robert McKechnie/OxfamAUS.
Low world sugar prices and the dumping of sugar are a problem… I would like to see
sugar subsidies cut and a global levelling of the playing field.
meeting in Hong Kong to demand that
world leaders Make Poverty History
by making trade fair.
to urge the government to set a timetable
to reach 0.7% of gross national income
(GNI) in aid by 2015.
Supporters also ran through a giant footy
banner and kicked goals on more and
better aid, fairer trade and debt relief.
The local Make Poverty History campaign
has already enjoyed some success,
with Prime Minister John Howard joining
other world leaders by announcing a
substantial boost in Australian aid at
the United Nations World Summit in
New York in September.
Sadly, without extra efforts to increase
Australia’s aid performance, because of
more generous efforts by other major
donors, Australia will still be among
the least generous donors in the
Organisation for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD) by 2010,
sliding to 18th place out of the 22
OECD donors by that year.
In Brisbane, Australia’s popular Ten
Tenors showed their support at an Oxfam
Australia organised white band day rally,
while in Sydney’s Darling Harbour there
were performances by local musicians,
guest speakers and an interactive
Millennium Development Goal display.
Mr Howard unveiled plans to increase aid
from the current level of $2.5 billion in
2005–2006 to $4 billion by 2010, following
weeks of lobbying and campaigning by
members of the Australian Make Poverty
History coalition and its tens of thousands
of supporters.
While we welcome the $1.5 billion
Australian aid increase as a win for the
two-thirds of the world’s poor that live in
the Asia-Pacific, it will only lift Australia’s
aid share from 0.28% of GNI to 0.36%
of GNI by 2010. Therefore we continue
In the lead-up to the historic UN Summit,
Oxfam Australia helped organise events
around the country to coincide with the
second global day of action on Saturday
10 September.
To link in with the Australian Football
League finals series, a football-themed
event was staged in Melbourne where
‘John Howard’ was presented with a
giant wooden spoon and the ‘Downlow’
medal for Australia’s low ranking on aid.
ARIA award winning singer–songwriter
Missy Higgins has added her voice to
the Make Poverty History campaign,
having Make Poverty History stalls at all of
her concerts in October. She joins actordancer Josef Brown, star of the stage
musical Dirty Dancing currently playing in
Perth, and Australian Princess contestant
Abby Valdes in supporting the campaign.
Nina Field is Oxfam Australia’s Make
Poverty History Advocacy Coordinator
and Carly Hammond is Oxfam Australia’s
National Media Coordinator.
Go online to www.oxfam.org.au/campaigns and:
– Check out the national Make Poverty History events planned for Saturday 10 December
– Buy a white Make Poverty History band to wear on Saturday 10 December (also available at Oxfam shops)
– Write to Trade Minister Mark Vaille urging him to support fairer trade rules at the WTO meeting
– Sign the Make Trade Fair Big Noise petition
– Send a Make Poverty History e-card
– Enter the Band It competition by using the white band theme or Make Poverty History slogan in a creative way
– Write to European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson demanding he take a stand against poverty
Oxfam News
13
14
Oxfam Australia
Major donor Shane Higgs tells Maureen Bathgate
about the joy of seeing how his money is making a real
difference to the lives of poor people in rural Cambodia.
The house
that Shane built
Former Melbourne publisher Shane Higgs
recalls his most recent visit to the small
rural village of Thamada in Cambodia,
when 57-year-old widow and mother of
eight, Van Loan came racing over to him
with an excited look on her face.
“You must come and look at my new
house,” she said, leading him through
the village to the new home that Oxfam
Australia had built for her.
“It gave me such a huge surge of
enjoyment,” Shane recalls. “To go into
that village and have people come up
to me and say I just had to come and
see you and thank you. It brought tears
to my eyes and that’s the reward.”
Shane has been the major donor of
our rural livelihoods program in Takeo
Province, Cambodia, since March 2004.
He remembers originally approaching
several aid agencies about supporting
their work, but ultimately chose Oxfam
because of its personal touch.
”[Oxfam] came back to me and said
‘we will tailor a project for you. We will
isolate your money and we will welcome
your input and ongoing involvement.
There was just a nice feeling about the
way Oxfam responded,” he said.
Before he committed funds, Shane
travelled to Cambodia to meet with our
field staff there, who took him to two
villages, one which was thriving under the
program and one which would go into the
project if Shane funded it — Thamada.
“It was just incredibly, movingly, poor.
It was the lack of water that struck me;
the fact that people were walking a
kilometre or two to get a bucket of
water to carry home. That there was no
possibility, given the land they have and
the means they have and the assets that
they have, that these people would not be
living under roofs made from rushes that
leak in the wet season.
“I signed the funding commitment
that afternoon in Phnom Penh.”
Shane has returned to Thamada on
each of his three subsequent visits to
Cambodia and has seen enormous
change take place.
“I genuinely see happier, healthier people
— who, before, were looking at the ground
a lot more. Thamada now has its rice
bank, it has more wells, we’ve built new
houses and re-roofed others.”
Oxfam major donor Shane Higgs with
Van Loan in Thamada village, Cambodia.
Photo: Ant Clark/OxfamAUS.
Shane says funding the program has
given him an enormous amount of pride
and joy, especially when he can see the
changes his money is making.
Take Van Loan for instance, who not
only has a new house with an iron roof,
but a home vegetable garden and a
new community well, built close-by.
“It’s as basic as my personal satisfaction
and as broad as knowing that I really
am making a significant difference to
thousands of people without it affecting
my quality of life or the comforts I enjoy.
“My old house was small, with a broken
floor and wall and a leaking roof. When it
rained, I had to move the children around
to avoid getting wet,” she said. “I have a
new life now. We are healthier. I used to be
concerned for life. Now it is easy to sleep.”
“Australia is full of people who could do,
and probably would love to do what I’m
doing, but perhaps don’t know how to go
about it, and I would like to enthuse them
as to what they could get out of it.”
OPPOSITE: A woman collects rice at an Oxfam
Australia supported rice bank in Thamada village
Cambodia. Photo: Ant Clark/OxfamAUS.
We are currently seeking funding from supporters able to donate $5,000 to $100,000 for projects
including children’s nutrition in Timor-Leste, microfinance and HIV and AIDS education in
Zimbabwe, children’s education in Sri Lanka and youth employment in the Solomon Islands.
Call Ant Clark on (03) 9289 9496 or Stephen Dickey on (02) 8204 3921 for further information.
Oxfam News
15
Walk against Want over the years. Photos: OxfamAUS, Luis Ascui, Ponch Hawkes/OxfamAUS.
Celebrating 40 fabulous years
Next year we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Walk against Want.
National Events Coordinator Gabi Orosz takes us on a journey
back through those 40 fabulous years.
Walk against Want began in the early
1960s when a group of Community Aid
Abroad supporters walked 25 kilometres
from Frankston to Melbourne. Together
they showed their solidarity with people
living in poverty around the world.
The walkathon style event started as a
symbol of the distance women walked
every day for clean water.
In 1967, it became Community Aid
Abroad’s first large-scale event. In its first
year 1,600 people walked and raised
$14,500 to support communities in Africa
and India. The event soon became a
national phenomenon with several walks
being held around Australia by 1969.
From small beginnings, Walk against Want
has become Australia’s longest running
outdoor fundraising event, raising more
than $10 million for our development work
around the world. At times more than 100
walks were staged simultaneously across
Australia, with hundreds of thousands of
Australians stepping out against poverty.
The success of the event is largely due
to the commitment and support received
from the participants, including volunteers,
schools, community groups and sponsors.
The Ringwood Youth Group has gathered
local kids to participate in the Walk against
Want since 1968. Each year they welcome
new kids to join in the event. Coordinator
Grant Nichol said: “I started walking when
I was a school child in the youth group,
now I’m leading the group in the Walk
against Want. It is a great chance for
kids to raise money and awareness while
having lots of fun together”.
Over the history of Walk there has also
been an array of imaginative entrants.
There was the workplace team who
strolled along in medieval costumes
accompanied by five custom-made
chariots, the Queensland school students
who built their own boat to sail part of
the trail, the forestry workers who jogged
with a log and the veteran unicyclist
who led 700 bike riders across the
finish line. Camels, vintage bikes, llamas
and balancing buckets on heads have
been no obstacle for some participants.
The most remote communities in
Australia have also been involved, such
as Nyirrpi in the Northern Territory
where locals organised a 4km walk for
the school students in the desert.
A large number of Oxfam groups have
been involved for many years and their
commitment has been invaluable. Bryce
and Jean Thompson, from the Mornington/
Mount Martha Oxfam Group became
involved after visiting some of our projects
in India in 1979. Since then, they have
raised more than $220,000.
“Walk against Want has provided us
with an opportunity to promote Oxfam’s
work and gain support from our local
community,” Jean said.
Doug Kettle, aged 87 years, has worked
all over the world, including East Africa,
where he saw a need for organisations
such as Oxfam. He has joined every Walk
against Want since its inception and his
commitment has inspired both his children
and grandchildren who have walked with
him over the years.
Some famous faces have stepped
out including Rove McManus, Rachel
Griffiths, Andrew Gaze, Nathan Deakes,
Daryl Somers and his fluffy co-star
Ossie Ostrich and, most recently,
Prime Minister John Howard.
While 2006 will be the last time we will
stage Walk against Want as a national
event, the tradition may still continue.
Beyond 2006, it will return to its community
roots. Oxfam groups, schools, community
organisations and individuals will have the
option to hold their own Walk against Want,
continuing the link between the Australian
community and poor communities.
Additional research by Walk Against
Want Volunteer Belinda Hanneberry.
Be a part of history and join the 40th Walk against Want on Sunday 5 March in
Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania and Sunday 12 March in all other states.
For more information or to register visit www.oxfam.org.au/walk
16
Oxfam Australia
COUNTRY PROFILE
South Africa
South Africa is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in
Africa and has the largest white population on the continent.
Racial and ethnic strife have played a large role in much of
the country’s history and politics.
South Africa is a middleincome, developing country
with abundant resources,
including well-developed
financial, legal, communications,
energy, and transport sectors.
Despite this, it continues to
suffer from droughts and
increasing desertification due
to climate changes.
The devastating HIV and
AIDS pandemic is another
major issue for South Africa,
which has one of the highest
prevalence rates in the world.
Current figures estimate that
4.79 million of South Africans
are infected with HIV, with
about 28% of pregnant women
being infected. HIV has had
a devastating effect on the
economic growth, health
services and the social fabric
of affected communities.
While it is more than 10 years
since the demise of apartheid
it’s bitter legacy continues to
affect the development
prospects of the country.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
work was originally working
against apartheid and
supporting land rights.
Our focus changed in the
late 1990s and we now work
with partners on HIV and
AIDS programs.
CURRENT PROJECTS:
HIV and AIDS
Our programs involve peer
education, awareness,
prevention, home-based
care, supporting people
living with and affected by
HIV and AIDS, lobbying
on behalf of vulnerable
groups such as orphaned
children and elderly
grandmothers, and
‘edutainment’ —
the use of song,
dance and
theatre to
inform
others.
Food security
We coordinate a food security
project in KwaZulu Natal
province which aims to
improve local partners’ ability
to deliver food and nutrition
programs in HIV and AIDS
affected communities. Another
project is providing poor
households with skills training,
equipment and seeds to
establish home gardens.
Gender
Gender equity underpins our
HIV and AIDS work in South
Africa, especially as the peak
prevalence of HIV is among
women aged 20–29 years. In
our HIV and AIDS programs
we work with women
to promote positive
self-perceptions, use
community discussions to
try to bring about a change
in perceptions of traditional
roles and use soccer as
a means of raising
awareness about
gender issues
with boys and
young men.
Fast facts
Capital: Pretoria
Population: 45. 3 million
Area: 1.22 million sq km
Languages (Official):
English, Afrikaans,
Ndebele, Northern Sotho,
Xhosa, Venda, Tswana,
Southern Sotho, Zulu,
Swazi, Tsonga
Major religions:
Christianity, Islam,
Indigenous beliefs
Adult literacy:
Male 86%, Female 84.6%
Life expectancy:
Male 47 years,
Female 49 years
HIV prevalence (15-24 years):
Male 11.3%, Female 24.8%
Infant mortality rate:
61.81 deaths per
1,000 live births
Sources CIA: The World Factbook,
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia
Compiled by Volunteer
Jenny McDonald and
South Africa Program
Officer Charlotte Sterrett.
Photo: Matthew Willman/OxfamAUS
Oxfam Australia has been
working in South Africa since
the 1970s. The focus of our
Oxfam News
17
Oxfam community
In brief
NEW TRADING CEO
Former OPSM executive Lorraine Caruso has joined Oxfam
Trading as its new CEO. Lorraine will use her 25 years
experience in retailing to expand and reposition the chain
of Oxfam shops throughout the country. She has worked in
several high profile retail businesses including Sportsgirl,
Brashs, Rabbit Photo and most recently OPSM.
“At Oxfam Australia Trading I’ll be working towards a
respected retail name with products appealing to a broader
market and greater recognition for what we do to relieve
poverty in our region,” Lorraine said.
Trailwalkers take off at the start of Oxfam Trailwalker Sydney 2005.
Photo: Andrew Introna/OxfamAUS
Sydney Trailwalker
The race for line honours in Oxfam Trailwalker Sydney this year
was the closest ever, with the first five teams all finishing within
one hour of each other. Team ACT Run and the Sunhing Cosmo
Boys (two-time winners of the gruelling Hong Kong Trailwalker)
were within 10 minutes of each other for much of the event,
however ACT Run blew their opponents away in the last 8km
finishing in a record-breaking time of 11 hours 59 minutes.
A maximum allowable 400 teams lined up for this year’s gruelling
48-hour challenge in August. Teams from as far a field as,
Singapore, Hong Kong and New Zealand, as well as Victoria,
Western Australia and Queensland started out from Hunters Hill
High School for the 100km trek to Ararat Reserve, French’s Forest.
Despite the demanding trail and tough conditions, 83% of
competitors completed the 100km trail. In addition to the
regular Oxfam Trailwalker supporters, Sydney’s corporate
community again got behind the event with 198 corporate teams
participating and State Street again being Principal Sponsor.
Team Sassy Sixty Something Sheilas comprising four women
all aged over 60 years finished in a time 26 hours and 52 minutes,
while amputee athlete Will Elrick from Paddy Pallin Team Millie,
completed the entire event on crutches in a time of 25 hours.
With donations still coming in, we are on track to surpass the
mammoth fundraising total of $1.5 million set by this year’s
Melbourne Trailwalker. A big thank you to all of the 750 volunteers
and sponsors who helped make the event a great success.
Melbourne Trailwalker will be held from 7–9 April 2006.
There are loads of volunteer roles available before and during
the event. Find out more by contacting Yvette Petersen on
(03) 9289 9425, emailing trailwalkermelbourne@oxfam.org.au
or visiting www.oxfam.org.au/trailwalker/melbourne/volunteer
18
Oxfam Australia
From her office in the Oxfam Australia Trading complex in
Adelaide, Lorraine is currently responsible for 17 Oxfam
shops and a mail order operation with a total turnover of $10
million a year.
Check out Oxfam Trading’s great online
catalogue at www.oxfamtrading.org.au
YOUNG PROFESSIONALS GO ‘GLOBALL’
Newly-established organisation Young Professionals for
Charity (YP4C) raised about $80,000 for four Melbournebased charities, including Oxfam Australia, at its ‘Globall’
held at the Melbourne Aquarium in October.
Originally started by three friends, YP4C now consists of
a committee of about 50 Melbourne professionals from
all walks of life including advertising executives, lawyers,
engineers, and graphic designers. YP4C’s aim is to broaden
the level of young professional engagement with the not-forprofit sector, while raising funds for organisations that can
make a real difference.
In addition to the terrific fundraising efforts, the ‘Globall’
gave us an opportunity to provide the 1,500 guests with
information about our work, as well as fundraising and
volunteer opportunities.
For more information about joining YP4C visit
www.yp4c.org.au or email membership@yp4c.org.au
VOLUNTEER ACCOLADES
Three longstanding volunteers have recently left the
management team of our Brisbane-based Skills Sharing
Scheme which matches professional volunteers with local
not-for-profit organisations.
Founding member and convenor Keiran Croker, founding
member Barbara Hadkinson and projects and planning guru
Rob Stephens all invested an enormous amount of spirit,
time, energy and hard work into the scheme and we thank
them all for their hard work.
Another of our volunteers, Sankaran Kasynathan, was
presented with the Sir John Monash Award for Young
Volunteer of the Year by Monash City Council in Melbourne.
Corrs lends a legal hand
National law firm Corrs Chambers
Westgarth has been one of Oxfam
Australia’s valued supporters for around
10 years, providing us with important legal
expertise and advice on a pro bono basis.
Corrs specialises in commercial law
and assists us with legal advice in areas
such as defamation, trust deeds, tax
status, contracts, workplace relations,
copyright, sponsorship arrangements
and partnership agreements.
Apart from Oxfam, Corrs also supports
organisations such as the Salvation
Army, RSPCA, The Big Issue and
Very Special Kids with pro bono
work and is a foundation member
of the Public Interest Law Clearing
House — an independent, notfor-profit legal referral service.
“What we like to do is support
not-for-profit and charitable organisations
working in the Australian community
— youth, aged care, disadvantaged
and marginalised,” Corrs Partner,
Mr Richard Leder said.
“All lawyers believe they have a duty to
help very poor people. Not everyone
can afford legal services. It would be a
travesty if some people who need legal
advice are denied legal advice because
they are very poor or marginalised.”
The firm’s community work extends
beyond pro bono services. They
entered two teams in last year’s
Oxfam Trailwalker Melbourne, have
a workplace giving program where
staff can support their nominated
charities through regular payroll
deductions, support a range of
charities through donations and
involve both legal and non-legal staff
in volunteering work and secondments.
Corrs Chambers Westgarth was
formed in 1991, following the
amalgamation of three long-established
law firms whose combined history
dates back to 1841. They have offices
in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane,
Canberra, Perth and the Gold Coast.
For more information visit
www.corrs.com.au
Hand made
Partner Richard Leder is Oxfam Australia’s
relationship partner at Corrs Chambers Westgarth
in Melbourne. Photo: Robert McKechnie/OxfamAUS.
Hand made goods from
around the globe
We have over 250 hand crafted products from
over 60 producer groups from (almost) the four
corners of the globe. There’s spices from Sri
Lanka helping people affected by the tsunami.
There’s colourful shopping bags from the
Philippines made from recycled drink packs and
recycled jewellery from South Africa...in fact we
have everything you need for the coming holiday
season and beyond!
Fair trade
Victoria • Chapel Street PRAHRAN (03) 9529 4633 • Burke Road
CAMBERWELL (03) 9882 9599 • Walk Arcade MELBOURNE
(03) 9650 6060 New South Wales • Centrepoint SYDNEY
(02) 9231 4016 Western Australia • Hay Street (near Shafto Lane)
PERTH (08) 9321 3784 • 22 Queen Street FREMANTLE (08) 9336 3111
Australian Capital Territory • Alinga Street CANBERRA
(02) 6247 3272 • Westfield Shoppingtown BELCONNEN (02) 6251 7045
Queensland • Indooroopilly Shopping Centre INDOOROOPILLY
(07) 3878 5074 • Myer Centre BRISBANE Ph (07) 3221 4451 • Garden City
Shopping Centre UPPER MT GRAVATT (07) 3349 4796 South Australia
• Myer Centre Rundle Mall ADELAIDE (08) 8231 0788 • Charles Street
ADELAIDE (08) 8223 1782 • Westfield Shoppingtown MARION
(08) 8296 5477 Tasmania • Upper Level Cat & Fiddle Arcade HOBART
(03) 6234 6603 • Centreway Arcade LAUNCESTON (03) 6331 7760
www.oxfamtrading.org.au
Australia
Oxfam News
19
Celebrate 40 years
of taking steps
against poverty.
WALK
AGAINST WANT
Step up for the 40th Anniversary Walk on Sunday 5 March 2006
in Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia and Sunday 12 March
in all other states. Help make this our biggest and best ever.
Call 1800 034 034 or visit www.oxfam.org.au/walk
walk against want

Oxfam News December 2005

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