O.N.E - February 2008

given. The more

new year, the biggest, longest holiday

poetic, the better.

of the year.

Huge peach trees fill

A time to shine the home. Everything

the downstairs lobby with

BOOKS – Four Oxfam books

ASIA – Up in Smoke

CHINA – A factory worker’s voice

CAMBODIA – Urban and Rural Poverty

08 20

INDIA – A photographer in the Himalayas

ry ua br Fe

Here in Hong Kong, it is the lunar

Over on the

in Cambodia who, fed up with the

save the goodness in what they have.

mainland, it is also

poverty in the rural areas, are trying

They know the limitations of life, but

th e majo r h oliday,

life in the city. The photo-essay from

they smile. That’s what I want to share.

and millions of people

the Himalayas is contributed by a Hong

I always feel we city people are doing

must be clean. Narcissus and other

wide arms of pink blossoms.

have about t wo week s of f.

Kong photographer who says, “I feel

too little in life. We don’t respect life

flowers go on a central table. We

Walk around it three times, tradition

Anyone working away from their

as a city person, I never knew how

enough.”

paste both sides of the doorway with

says, and you will find love.

hometown tries to return for the family

chickens and eggs can be so important,

a couplet-blessing on two rectangular

The streets are temporary gardens.

togetherness, and the worst snowstorm

especially in the village we visited. I feel

He signs his email, “peace and

red papers. Children get new clothing,

Tangerine and kumquat trees line

in 50 years is keeping many families

we city people take so many things for

usually red. Unmarried people receive

sidewalks, along with potted chrysan-

apart.

granted, we rarely think about where

gifts of money tucked in red envelopes.

themum, bunches of pussy willow, and

This issue of O.N.E features a factory

things come from, and we waste a lot.

Madeleine Marie Slavick

Here in the office, colleagues also

other festive plants. Many businesses

worker in China who cannot afford

But the people I met in India – these

Editor, Oxfam News E-magazine

receive money from their supervisors,

shut down for the period, so the city is

the train fare home to her village for

people far away from my everyday life

Oxfam Hong Kong

but only after verbal blessings are

the quietest it will ever be.

the holiday. We hear from farmers

– they value life so much and try to

emagazine@oxfam.org.hk

calm.”

I would like to end the same way.

TIM’s EYE Images by Tim Liu

Soil erosion, water shortages, and deforestation are problems for many

in India

villages in northern India: people have to walk farther and farther for their water, firewood and fodder. This work has always been for girls and women, and now even more so: many village men are migrating to the city for work.

Stress is an everyday reality for the women, as is discrimination: only 10-20 per cent of the village girls go to school, literacy for adult women is 30 per cent Bimla (left), 55, and her family joined a poultry project. Eggs sell for about 3 Rupees each, enough to buy half of the family’s food.

lower than for men, girls are married off or sent off to work at a younger age than boys are, and female feticide is not uncommon.

Villagers are now raising goats and chickens, planting orchards and greenhouses, and forming women’s groups that manage revolving funds.

Instead of walking so far for water,

in India

simple storage systems have been built right in the village. Instead of collecting fodder, they are now growing grass.

Women attend training in midwifery, first aid, hygiene and reproductive health, and 200 girls and women have passed a literacy test in nine new education centres in the area.

This three-year project is coordinated through Gram Niyojan Kendra, a nation-wide organisation that works on many issues, such as those facing girls and women in the rural and urban context.

Oxfam Hong Kong thanks the photographer Tim Liu who volunteered his time and skills to document this project. The agency has been supporting projects in India for 15 years.

1

3

2

4

Here are a few moments from the Himalayan village, seen in the eyes of a photographer from Hong Kong.

1 Goat-raising is new to the village.

2 Women have the work of collecting firewood.

3 They also have the work to collect fodder.

4 Rainwater travels from the roof into a new storage tank.

One out of three Cambodians lives

Other farmers are giving up on rural

The Thon’s home, like most in

Half of the families in Chamroeun

rate of one per cent every three months

on less than one US dollar a day, and

life altogether. The Thon family is one

Chamroeun, is made of palm leaves.

decided to join a loan project with

– so another family has been able to

rural people account for almost 90 per

of the thousands to do so. They had had

Their only furniture is two wooden

Oxfam. (The whole community has

benefit, too. Many families who joined

cent of all poor people. Most of the

too many bad harvests in a row on their

planks for beds, which serve as a table

benefited from various projects on

have also used the money to improve

rural poor try to make their living by

rented land in Svay Rieng, a province in

and desk too. One of the Thon children

health, disaster prevention and more.)

their homes.

farming or fishing, and they face many

the southeast. The family of seven has

had to stop studying to go to work, but

The Thon family used their loan to

Back in the rural areas, similar

challenges. Many do not own land, and

very few resources but a huge amount

the two youngest ones – Srouch and

purchase a cart which has made it easier

micro-credit projects are running. Like

if they do, it probably is not irrigated.

of hope: they moved to Phnom Penh,

Peakdei – now attend three or four

to collect the plastic. Their income has

the Thon family, the Chengs have had

(Less than ten per cent of all arable land

determined to make a better life.

classes a week for migrant children. The

increased to such an extent that they

access to a modest loan, using it to

is irrigated.) Forests, farmland and lakes

In the cit y, the only place the

rest of the time, the two work with their

have been able to rebuild their home.

repair their boat and purchase a better

are often not sustainably managed.

Thons could afford to rent is a small

parents as wastepickers. Every day is a

They repaid the loan – at a low interest

net. This project in Kampong Chhnang

Dependency on the weather is another

windowless home in Chamroeun, a

workday. From 8am to 5pm, the parents

works a little differently in that each

difficulty, especially in today’s changing

squatter area in Phnom Penh where

go in search of discarded plastic, trying

participant contributes regularly to a

climate. The past few rainy seasons in

more than 300 families live, many of

to find enough to support the whole

community fund, from which other

central Cambodia, for instance, have

whom also migrated from Svay Rieng.

family on. (Another common job for

families can borrow. The amount is

lasted too long, and have led to farmers

There is no sewage system and no

migrants is factory work.)

small, but when pooled together, it

giving up on their crops. The planting

real public facilities. This becomes

can finance a new start (such as a new

and growing season has been too short,

a huge problem when the rains

net, or a new plough) or get a family

and harvests too small.

come twice a year: it easily

through a difficult time (such as a bad

turns into a flood. Water

harvest or an illness). Oxfam has also

fishing. The Cheng family is one of

Some farmers now rely more on

seeps in, floors become

assisted in establishing a conservation

these farmer-turned-fisher families.

p o ol s , s o m e tim e s

area in Kampong Chhnang, so there

With limited resources – an old boat

reaching as high as

is now an element of sustainability to

and a substandard net – they fish a river

the roof.

the fishing.

in the central province of Kampong Chhnang, but have only able to earn enough income to last eight or nine months of the year. For the other three or four months, their hardship has been severe.

Cambodia – Rural and Urban Poverty

Oxfam Hong Kong has supported projects in Cambodia since the 1970s. The current focus is on community-based resource management, disaster management, gender equity, reducing violence against women, and reducing human trafficking.

Oxfam thanks the photographer Dick Lau who volunteered to document Oxfam's work.

I WANT TO RETURN HOME TO COOK

in China

Xiao-qing, age 26 Electronic Parts Product Inspector A migrant worker from Jiangxi Province for two years Working in Shenzhen Special Economic Zone

Workers get two sets of this uniform.

My source of entertainment.

think that is pretty good! And there is no overtime on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The only problem is that this job requires very good eyesight, and I am afraid I will become short-sighted.

The other day, I visited some co-workers who had been hurt at the factory. Their fingers were squashed by machines, and although their injuries were not very serious, I was upset, and too uncomfortable to say anything.

My family are farmers. When I finished junior college, I did not want to Enjoying leisure time after a bath.

I will not go home this Lunar New

I have been in Shenzhen for over

stay home and do that. Coincidentally,

Year because the train fare has increased

a year, and have worked at four

someone in my hometown told me that

so much. Normally it is 60 yuan, but

different factories. My first job was at

some factories were recruiting workers,

during the New Year, it jumps to 300.

an electronics factory, but the pay was

so I left home, thinking I would learn a

So, I will stay in my dormitory for the

far too low. Then I switched to another

skill. Only when I arrived in Shenzhen did

holiday.

electronics factory, where the pay was

I know that it was not that interesting

better, but I had to work 18 hours every

at all: low pay, long working hours and

day. It was really too tiring! I changed

no holiday on Sundays.

Exterior of a factory dormitory.

Two brothers (the older one is a Year 4 student) begging on a street. Who gives them mercy!

me of This fruit stall reminds . I hope the longan in my hometown est and my family gets a good harv year. leads a happy life every

my job because I could not take it any-

I really want to return home. What

more. Now I work at an electronic

will I do? I will cook! I am pretty good at

parts factory where I use a screwdriver

pork ribs. Now I have no time to cook,

and tweezers to insert thin sheets. The

and I eat all my meals in the canteen, so I

factory has set a target: each production

am not sure whether I will still be able to

line must make 1,200 products each

make my ribs that well anymore.

day or about 160 each hour. The pay

This story is excerpted from PHOTOVOICES – Shenzhen Workers Speak, published by Oxfam Hong Kong, ISBN 962664023-5.

is not better than my last job, but we have a canteen, hot water supply, and a washing machine in the dormitory. I

It is available online: http://www.oxfam.org.hk/public/bookstore/list?pa ge=2&lang=iso-8859-1

CLIMATE CRISIS in ASIA Asia will be warmer this century.

being able to read the weather to

of malaria have increased by over

More than two billion people – over

change is affecting people’s food and

M o r e wa r mi n g m e a n s m o r e

know when to plant, but with a

300 per cent in just one year’s time.

half of Asia’s population – live near

water supply, health, access to energy

hunger. An increase of just 1°C in

changing climate, they are facing huge

Leishmaniasis, the second largest

the coast, and as a nation, Vietnam

sources, and migration trends; it

night-time temperatures during the

problems. Cyclones are stronger and

parasitic killer, is another concern:

is considered to be at particular risk,

looks at the needs of women, farmers

growing season may reduce Asian rice

more frequent. Monsoon cycles are

in Bangladesh, the disease has been

with almost 3,500 kilometres of

and fishers; it considers disasters,

yields by 10 per cent and wheat by 32

irregular. Rainfall patterns are more

prevalent in 14 northern districts but

coastline.

biodiversity and the environment.

per cent. Farmers in China could suffer

extreme: in general, dry seasons are

it is moving south to new areas. Cholera

Hunger, disease, a loss of income,

Up in Smoke also reveals some of the

a 37 per cent loss of rice, wheat and

longer and longer.

will also occur more frequently, as

a loss of land: together, this means

positive measures being undertaken

corn. Asia is home to almost 90 per

M o r e wa r mi n g m e a n s m o r e

there is an established link between

more poverty.

in the region, and outlines the actions

cent of the world’s known 400 million

disease, such as malaria – already the

outbreaks of cholera and blooms of

small farms, so as many as 350 million

leading parasitic killer in the world.

blue-green algae.

farmers in Asia may have smaller

The incubation period of mosquitoes

More warming means a loss of

harvests and less income.

shortens in higher temperatures, and

coastline. The sea level is rising too fast.

by more than 35 development and

More warming means unpredic-

off-season rainfall increases breeding.

Entire islands are already disappearing,

environmental groups, including

table weather. Farmers depend on

In parts of Cambodia, reported cases

such as in Vanuatu, Kiribati and Tuvalu.

Oxfam. The report looks at how climate

This climate poverty in Asia is discussed in the recent report, Up S moke : A sia

and the

in

Pacific , compiled

that the international community must also take.

To read the full report, visit the Oxfam International blog: http://www.oxfam.org.uk/applica tions/blogs/climatechange/ Photos from Vietnam: a drought, and a national forum on drought-management.

FOUR BOOKS by OXFAM HONG KONG Available through www.oxfam.org.hk

PHOTOVOICES Shenzhen Workers Speak 144 pages ISBN: 962-664-023-5

A World of Children in Hong Kong 142 pages In English and Traditional Chinese

A book on the lives of young migrant workers in

Ethnic minority people in Hong Kong face dis-

Shenzhen, the special economic zone that borders

crimination every day, at schools, in jobs, and in

Hong Kong.

finding housing.

factory workers themselves, who are in their teens and

Please tell us at: http://forum.oxfam.org.hk/?c_lang=eng

KIDS ALIKE ISBN: 962-664-022-7

Each story is written and photographed by the

Climate Change and Poverty?

This book shows the lives of the children at home and at school.

OXFAM HONG KONG WEBSITE www.oxfam.org.hk

OXFAM BOOKS Oxfam Hong Kong has created more than 30 books, some in Hong Kong, some in Taiwan, some on the Mainland, some in

twenties. By recording their own lives and preparing

Photographs by Tsang Wing-kai.

Chinese, some in English, some bilingual,

the images and captions to be used in the book, there

Drawings by ethnic minority children.

and some mostly with images, which cross

is no interviewee and interviewer.

Essays by activists.

all languages. Through publishing the voices of poor people around the world, we want to change the way people think about poverty. We want justice.

Oxfam’s most recently supported supported the publication of 西部．希望 大山里的孩子們 (a book on education in western China, in Simplified Chinese).

To order books: www.oxfam.org.hk/public/bookstore/list?lang=iso-8859-1

E-NEWS Issued every month in English and Chinese, this e-bulletin provides the latest from Oxfam Hong Kong, with bite-sized news on emergencies, campaigns, community projects, public education and fundraising. Oxfam e-News is emailed to more than 80,000 volunteers, campaigners, donors, Oxfam Trailwalkers, council members and subscribers. The Editor is Vivian Leung.

To subscribe: www.oxfam.org.hk/public/contents/16830 (English version)

MY FAVOURITE THING 160 pages In English and Traditional Chinese ISBN: 957-693-640-3

THE POSSIBLE

www.oxfam.org.hk/public/contents/7263 (Traditional Chinese)

www.oxfam.org.hk/public/contents/7265 (Simplified Chinese)

30 Stories

220 pages In English and Traditional Chinese ISBN: 962-664-027-8

MOKUNG Ox fam Hong Kong publishes this quarterly magazine in Traditional Chinese.

This book began with two simple questions: What is your favourite thing, and why.

Here are 70 answers from people young and old, in the city and the village, in China and around the world.

A girl in Zambia defies her mother’s plan to marry

Mokung, which means both “no poverty”

her off young, and continues with her schooling

and “infinity”, highlights a different

instead.

aspect of development in each issue. The

Scrap-collectors in India group together to get

Editor is Tung Tsz-kwan. The January 2008

health insurance, life insurance, access to credit, and

edition looks at Migration issues.

This is the second edition, published in Taiwan.

more, and win an international prize along the way.

To subscribe: www.oxfam.org.hk/public/

The first edition, published in Beijing, was a bestseller

Exploited migrant workers in Cambodia and Hong

and is sold out.

Kong become labour activists.

Voted among the “100 recommended books for

Over the past 30 years, Oxfam Hong Kong has

youth” by the National News and Publishing Bureau

worked alongside some of the world's poorest people

in mainland China and listed in the "good books chart

to find ways to make positive changes in society.

for secondary school students" in Hong Kong.

This book collects 30 of our favourite stories.

bookstore/?lang=big5 Mokung is online at www.oxfam.org.hk/pub lic/contents/category?cid=1017&lang=big5

ONE O.N.E – Oxfam News E-magazine – is uploaded at the beginning of every month at www.oxfam.org.hk/one.

To receive a copy in your inbox, please subscribe – it is free.

Hong Kong

Look out for our next book CHINA VOICES, available in summer 2008.

Oxfam books are available online: http://www.oxfam.org.hk/public/bookstore/list?page=2&lang=iso-8859-1

17th Floor, 28 Marble Road, Northpoint, Hong Kong O. N .E, published in the middle of each month, is also online:

www.oxfam.org.hk/one//

COVER: Tim Liu

What can people do about