Climate crisis

Women speak out

Worldwide, climate change hits poor people hardest—especially women. But Oxfam’s Sisters on the Planet are fighting back. Last week, 94 Sisters from 33 states—plus “climate witnesses” from Mississippi, Peru, Uganda, and Senegal—came together for a summit in Washington, DC, where they called on lawmakers to help the world’s poorest people adapt to the crisis.

• Add your voice.Tell your Senators: Don't cut poor people out of the climate bill.
• Read an interview with keynote speaker Majora Carter.

Blogging from El Salvador

Salvadorans weather storm

Elizabeth Stevens visited survivors of last year's Hurricane Ida to learn how the techniques they learned from Oxfam partners saved lives.

As Stevens writes in one of her blogs, the villagers learned how to staunch a wound and how to get people out of their homes and into shelters. "But in the course of all that training, they learned something more fundamental: how to take matters into their own hands. 'We were not waiting for City Hall to tell us to do this or do that,' said Paula Deperla. 'We just did it.'"

• Read more blogs about the Hurricane Ida success story.

The next Haiti

Fight poverty. Prevent disasters.

What makes a disaster? Is it the event itself -- the earthquake, tsunami, or flood? No. It's the tragic consequences: the immense number of lives lost, the people hurt, and communities destroyed.

Twenty years ago, San Francisco had a massive earthquake. Sixty-three died. In January, Haiti's earthquake was even bigger. But it killed nearly 250,000 people. Severe poverty, like that found in Haiti before the quake, makes communities more vulnerable. But you can help.

• Support Oxfam's efforts to prevent disasters around the world.

Wanted: student leaders

Creating change, on campus and beyond

“After CHANGE, I can’t imagine having a life that did not involve working for social justice.” That’s what one alumnus said about Oxfam America’s CHANGE Initiative, which each year trains a select group of college students to become leaders and advocates in the fight against global poverty. Right now, we’re looking for US-based sophomores and juniors to join us for this year’s intensive training.

• Apply by April 1 to become a 2010 CHANGE Leader.
• Learn more about the CHANGE Initiative.

Speak up for Afghanistan

Use your voice to fight poverty in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world. But quick fixes linked to military objectives aren’t helping its people conquer the poverty and destruction wrought by 30 years of conflict and disorder. Lasting peace requires lasting commitment. Add your voice to the call for a rebuilding effort that puts Afghans’ needs and interests first.

• Speak up through our petition.
• Read about the dangers of militarized aid in Afghanistan.
• Take a look at lives interrupted.