Like every endeavour that fights for a change, Oxfam International has also started out as a small initiative. In 1942, Doctor Henry Gillet, Canon Richard Milford, Professor Gilbert Murray, Cecil Jackson-Cole and Sir Alan Pim formed a committee to relieve famine in the war-torn Greece, occupied by Nazi Germany and blockaded by the Allied navy. By 1943, they have managed to raise £10,700 for the Greek Red Cross - this is approximately £370,000 in current money - which is an outstanding achievement taking in account that Britain was also in wartime.
The organisation starts further development by opening its first shop in 1948 as the UK’s first charity shop which is still open today. After lasting consistent work and development Oxfam started gaining global recognition, slowly building a strong network and international partnerships. In 1994 the organisation became Oxfam International, having offices in Australia, New Zealand, America, Canada, Quebec, Hong Kong, Holland and Belgium among others. Oxfam has constantly worked on new ways of lifting populations out of poverty and advocated sustainability. I order to halt poverty, a new foundation must be built that is economically efficient, and environment friendly. Oxfam has already set up community cereal banks in poverty stricken areas to give people access to grain all year-round.
Parallel to working closely with people in deep poverty, Oxfam has been also fighting to reduce inequality internationally. Recently, Oxfam has attended the Third Financing for Development conference in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia where the development of the next few decades were discussed. One of the main issues were the danger of encouraging schools and private hospitals to be funded privately. This will make these essential services inaccessible to people in poverty, only allowing the rich to thrive. Oxfam has been lobbying to stop the process of making the illegal turn into legal. By generating more regulation, accountability and transparency in the private sector the finances could balance out equally for everyone’s good. This project is a massive part of 2015’s development.
As the economical landscape is in constant change, and it is important to regularly upgrade the financial policies - especially in third world economies, where donors from richer countries set the agenda that does not correspond well with the needs of the many. Oxfam mission has been also to reveal such issues and to advocate change.
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