Oxfam International

Oxfam International is another program that sends out aid workers worldwide. However they do it a little differently.
“Oxfam International is a confederation of 13 organizations working together with over 3,000 partners in more than 100 countries to find lasting solutions to poverty, suffering and injustice.”
To read more about what exactly Oxfam does, visit the about us page.

Included in one of the emergency sections is for the Sudan. The web page is not very colorful, however there is a fair enough of information complete with news updates and press releases. The brief introduction to the website reads as follows:
“As of March 2007, we are providing vital assistance to more than 500,000 people affected by the crisis, both in Darfur and eastern Chad. We provide access to clean, safe water and sanitation as well as basic necessities such as blankets, soap and jerry cans for carrying water. We carry out public health education programs to try and prevent the spread of disease; and, as the crisis continues, we are implementing projects to provide livelihood opportunities to help people find some alternative to the reliance on external aid.”

The most recent news update, March 19, discusses the increase in violence and attacks on aid workers and the hijackings of their supply trucks. The article also mentions that Darfur has become more “lawless and volatile.” It also discussed a recent incident in one of the aid camps at Gereida, South Darfur where workers were beaten and one woman was raped.

There was also a recent statistic given; “In the first two months of 2007, more than 80,000 more people fled the ongoing violence.” This clearly shows that the violence has not only increased for the aid workers, but also in the Darfur area. I think these aid workers are some of the most courageous people in the world. To go into a violent area while everyone is running out takes some guts.

The end of the page gives some great statistics as well as information about what exactly Oxfam is doing and what their objectives are.