OXFAMExchange Fall 2005

For some people in the developing world, the chance to overcome poverty takes the form of pipes and pumps to irrigate fields. For others, it's the savings group that allows them to put aside income for bigger goals and to borrow money when they need it. It's electricity and a freezer. It's learning to read and write. It's a chance to sell cotton or corn at a profit.

The stories that follow testify to the fact that aid can be used effectively—in Africa and beyond. By investing directly in people, by helping them gain access to education, credit, and natural resources, by challenging the policies that perpetuate poverty, Oxfam puts the systems in place that can end poverty. Without this work—and your support—people remain hungry, poor, and lacking meaningful ways to change their lives.

Together, we have the chance to make that change.