Page 28 - Grasp English C1+ (Workbook)

3 Socıety

Oxfam International’s slogan is The power of people against poverty, and the organisation has been
working tirelessly since it was founded in 1942 to reduce global poverty. The organisation was established
in the United Kingdom as the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief by a group of social activists, academics
and members of a religious movement called the Quakers. Although Oxfam is perhaps best-known for its
numerous projects in Africa, the original cause of the organisation was to support Greek citizens who were
suffering from starvation during the Nazi occupation of their country.

In 1948, the organisation opened its first shop which resold donations from the public of clothes, books,
music and household items. Since 2012, their sales have expanded to include fair-trade products from
around the world, such as handicrafts and food products from emerging economies in Africa, Asia and
South America. Part of Oxfam’s work includes helping local farmers to use sustainable farming techniques
and to adapt their farming methods to the effects of global warming. They also challenge international
corporations on their agreements with small farms, demanding better treatment of workers and fairer returns
to the farmer on products which have a high selling price abroad.

Their projects to alleviate poverty also take into consideration some of the causes of poverty. For example,
they run numerous educational schemes to tackle illiteracy and to increase people’s opportunities for
employment. Unfortunately, women are more at risk than men of living in poverty, partly due to a lack of
education which sees them make up nearly two-thirds of the world’s illiterate population. There are huge
issues around discrimination against women in many countries of the world, too, and in fact, in eighteen
countries worldwide, husbands can legally prevent their wives from working. Oxfam, in close collaboration
with women’s rights organisations, hopes to improve living and working conditions for women around the
world.

As well as long-term development, Oxfam also helps people affected by natural crises, such as hurricanes
and tsunamis, and those in conflict zones. As people migrate from affected areas, there are issues of
homelessness and overpopulation in refugee camps. Oxfam is involved in projects to supply clean water
and essential aid to those who have lost everything.

26