09 20 st gu Au THE AGRICULTURE ISSUE What’s Old is New Again: ‘Alternative’ Farming in Laos Fair Trade and Farming • Bringing smiles back to Sri Lankan spice farmers • Five Fair Trade farming groups at Hong Kong Food Expo Talking with Two Farmers in Timor-Leste 12 Steps against Poverty with Cambodian rice farmers Change takes Courage for Sheep Farmers in China Climate Change means Poverty for Farmers and Fishers And more...
What's Old is New Again
By Ratsamy Souvannamethy
This is my first
cropping has resulted in substantial
but then implementing things contrary
the necessity of identifying drivers and
trip to Huaphan
income gains for many farmers, yet has
to what they had suggested. As such,
champions of change in the villages,
in northeastern Laos
also led to the forest being cleared,
Oxfam’s job has been to help people
where the community itself – not the
for seven years, and I see a lot of
a loss in soil fertility, serious erosion,
see that we do what we say we will,
‘project’ – takes the lead. I have also
improvement in the infrastructure in
more landslides, and rice paddies being
and that we are genuinely interested
learned that meaningful change takes
the major towns – better roads which
washed away in the floods. Reliance on
in them being able to improve their
time, and that new things in particular
save travel time from Vientiane to
a single cash crop – mostly maize – has
lives. For this, we have had to establish
take even more time. This can be the
the provincial capital of Semnua from
also made residents vulnerable to price
personal relationships and work closely
technical principles of ‘integrated
38 to 16 hours, better telephone and
fluctuations. In 2008, maize dropped by
with individual farmers; we have had
agriculture’ to methodological
internet access, better schools and
more than 50 per cent.
to understand their concerns and help
values such as ‘par ticipation’ and
health facilities, and more tourists. At
To address these concerns, Oxfam
them design sustainable initiatives
‘empowerment’ – all of which Oxfam
first, I thought that the lives of poorer
Hong Kong is working in these eight
based on what they think is the best
is trying to introduce. In Laos, people
people there have also improved, but
remote villages through a partnership
for them and their community. This
may see these methods and principles
looking again, I am not so sure.
with the Agriculture and Forestr y
approach is not usually done in Laos
as being innovative and maybe even
On this trip, I am visiting eight
Office of Huaphan Province. The pilot
where the centralised ‘one-size-fits-all’
‘revolutionary’ while people in other
villages in two districts, Xiengkhor and
project has been introducing alternative
methodology is common.
countries might see the concepts as
Viengxay, near the Vietnamese border.
farming practices, such as integrated
During my first year with Oxfam,
‘old’ and already in place in their
These villages are all remote, located
and diversified farming instead of
I participated in discussions among
societies. For me, I see the concepts as
alongside the small rivers - the Houy
mono-cropping, which is a relatively
agricultural experts and the villagers,
being appropriate tools. With these
Deau and Nam Nga – and surrounded by
new thing here.
and also joined farmers on an exposure
tools, farmers can fulfill their personal
mountains. It takes about five hours to
In the beginning, I thought that the
trip to meet with farmer-practitioners
potential and improve the way of life for
drive to Xiengkhor from the provincial
learning and application would be easy
for some hands-on training. I have
the entire community.
capital, and during the rainy season,
and straightforward, but it did not go as
learned a lot . I have learned the
getting to the communities can be
expected. This had a lot to do with the
importance of building up trust and
difficult. As we travel around, it is easy
time that it takes to build up trust and
genuinely understanding individual
to be overtaken by the richness and
confidence, as well as with the ‘new’
and community contexts before doing
beauty of the landscape and culture.
participatory way of working that Oxfam
any ‘development’ work. I have learned
For generations, the way of life
espouses. To be frank, we development
ha s b e en ‘simple’ here : villager s
workers can be seen as newcomers
traditionally plant upland rice and rely
and outsiders, and farmers are slow to
on forest products for their food and
trust us given painful experiences in
income. In the past few years, however,
the past with ‘development’ projects
agricultural practices have changed from
that have not really benefited them.
subsistence farming to growing larger-
Villagers can also be wary of people
scale commercial crops. This mono-
asking their opinions about projects,
COVER: Disomenica, a Fair Trade spice farmer in Sri Lanka, with her nutmeg / Photo: Au Sik Hung
Based in Vientiane, Ratsamy Souvannamethy joined Oxfam Hong Kong as a Programme Officer in 2008. The agency has been supporting projects in Laos since 1995, and began working in Huaphan in 2007. Ratsamy at work in the field, and posing for a photograph with villagers.
Sri Lanka
FAIR TRADE
– bringing smiles back to faces
By Charlotte Wan
A smiling Disomenica (right) and her husband – Fair Trade has improved their lives.
Disomenica Basanayake pours us
a remote part of central Sri Lanka.
to plough the land and separate the
her home-brewed red tea, topping it
For four generations of Basanayakes,
crop, as it is with some other plants.
with an extra serving of warmth and
including their son, the family has
There are more than 200,000 spice
would enable them to keep most or
hospitability. The spice farmer looks
depended on spice farming for a
farmers in the country, although
all of the profits. In the past, they
so radiant and cheerful, it is hard to
living. Isolugola is the husband’s
some only have few trees, typically
were left with no choice but to sell
imagine that in the past, she used to
hometown.
cloves, nutmeg and pepper.
their crops to the only purchasing
worry about her daily survival, about
Farming spices is popular among
The remote location of Isolugola
agent in the village, who would then
where the money would come from
small-scale farmers in Sri Lanka,
used to present a challenge for
export the spices in bulk. Since the
for her family’s needs.
mainly because the spice trees are
farmer s . T hey did not have the
village agent was the farmers’ only
Disomenica, 64, and her husband,
generally inexpensive and ‘simple’ to
means to travel to marketplaces to
outlet, farmers had little or no room
71, live in a village named Isolugola,
harvest – machinery is not necessary
sell their spices themselves, which
to bargain and were often subjected
Oxfam News E-magazine August 2009
Nutmeg
to unreasonable price squeezes and
now. The Basanayakes currently earn
help them improve their production
late payments.
about 120,000 rupees a year (about
and marketing capacity. It is not the
US$1,000).
first time that COSE has come to
“The village dealer would not adjust the amount he offered to us
“ F a i r Tr a d e h a s b r o u g h t
Hong Kong. During the World Trade
according to market prices,” says Mr.
tremendous change to our family,”
Organization meeting (formally called
Basanayake. “He would offer a fixed
says a happy Disomenica. “It has made
the Sixth Ministerial Conference) held
price at 60 rupees (approx. HK$4) per
our lives much more comfortable and
in Hong Kong in 2005, the group
kilogram, and he rarely paid on time.
brought smiles back to our faces. We
promoted their Fair Trade products
We once tried to store our spices, so
still have no savings, but we’re clear
in a conference centre kitty-corner
that we could sell them later at a
from debt. We have yet to paint the
to the conference centre where
better price when market conditions
walls in our home, but we’ve fixed the
world leaders debated agricultural
were more favourable, but it only
window, and even managed to marry
trade rules.
lasted six months – we were running
off our daughter.”
out of money.”
Established in 1997, COSE ensures
When Disomenica found out that
that the production and trade of its
Farmers like the Basanayakes were
Fair Trade is being promoted in other
agricultural products meets Fair Trade
forced to undercut their profits; they
places in the world, like Hong Kong,
standards. They also endorse organic
could not even cover their basic spice
she added, “We are proud of our Fair
farming, which lower farmers’ costs
farming costs. The family suffered
Trade products and are pleased to
and improves soil quality. A collective
from the financial strain. With no
know that they are in high demand
savings fund is in place to help
alternative, they turned to the village
from satisfied customers.”
farmers be able to pay for their
loanshark several times for quick cash:
Nowadays, the Basanayakes sell
children’s education or for other basic
this helped in the short term, but in
their spices to two Fair Trade groups.
or emergency expenses. A member of
the end, their debt accumulated.
One is Ceylon Organic Spice Export, a
the World Fair Trade Organization,
F o r t u n a t e l y , a F a i r Tr a d e
small Sri Lankan-based organisation
COSE currently markets about 15
organisation reached out to twenty
that pays its farmers 450 to 950
different spices, as well as cashew
Isolugola farmers, including the
rupees per kilogram, depending on
nuts and dried pineapple.
Basanayakes. The group of fered
the spice.
to purchase their spices for higher-
With Oxfam Hong Kong’s support,
than-market prices, and promised
COSE will be participating at Food
this arrangement over time. That
Expo 2009, one of the largest food
was about twenty years ago. The
fairs in Hong Kong. Oxfam is also
change was immediately positive
assisting the group in developing
way back then, and it continues until
their product catalogue, which can
Charlotte Wan is coordinating Oxfam’s activities at the Hong Kong Food Expo 2009. She met with Fair Trade groups in Sri Lanka in June 2009. TOP: Mureen, a packager in a Fair Trade factory BOTTOM: Sri Lanka is known for its high quality spices. All photos by Au Sik Hung
Fair Trade @ Food Expo 2009
FAIR TRADE EXPERIENCE FROM PALESTINE AND VIETNAM
Oxfam Hong Kong is bringing 5 Fair Trade groups to the Food Expo, including
Fair Trade representatives from Palestine (Occupied Palestinian Territories) and
Ceylon Organic Spice Export. Come and taste Fair Trade food from Pakistan,
Vietnam will share their experiences in implementing Fair Trade and working
Palestine (Occupied Palestinian Territories), Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand,
with farmers. Admission is free, but please register with Oxfam; Stephanie
Vietnam…
Cheung: (852) 3120 5273.
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre • 1 Expo Drive, Wanchai, Hong Kong (Trade Hall) • 13 -14 August (10am – 6pm, for trade visitors only) • 15 August (10am – 6pm, open to public) • Booth 3c – 32, 34, 35
• 16 August, Sunday • 2:30 to 4:00pm • Oxfam Hong Kong 17/th Floor, China United Centre, 28 Marble Road, North Point, Hong Kong Enquiries: Stephanie Cheung: (852) 3120 5273
Oxfam News E-magazine August 2009
Timor Leste
TALKING WITH TWO FARMERS IN TIMOR-LESTE Jacinta and Gracinda are two farmers in the coastal village of Marmer, which means ‘marble’ for all the limestone in this northern part of Timor-Leste. Marmer is very small, with only 22 families and a population of about 130. Residents here used to farm maize up in the mountains, but they now farm it right in the village, down by the shore. Jacinta and Gracinda tell us, in their own words, how this change came about, and what it means to them.
We stopped growing maize up in
pen the livestock. Plus, we have a little
eat papaya and cassava leaves as
the hills about four years ago, due
bit of a problem with caterpillars, but
leafy vegetables. Nowadays, we also
to the lack of enough rainfall, and
we can handle it by using chilli and
have mustard and kankung (a kind
too many wild pigs and rats. We still
kerosene to keep them away.
of spinach). We frequently sell the
plant other crops up in the hills, but
We usually plant maize in
peanuts, velvet beans, watermelon,
we don't plant maize anymore. It’s
December when we usually get good
and taro – the other crops are mostly
just too much work! We would spend
rain, but if not, then we'll plant in
for our own food. With the new
too much energy guarding it from the
January and harvest in March.
vegetable garden right in the village,
pigs and rats.
When harvest time comes, we
we are happy because we are growing
Another reason that we stopped
tie the cobs together in bundles
– and eating – a more diverse range of
farming so much up there in the
and hang them on trees. This is our
leafy and green vegetables.
hills is the time involved. Now that
way of storing the maize. We count
While we eat more of the various
our children have started to go to
our harvests by the bundle, not by
vegetables we plant, we also sell
school, we don't have enough time
kilogram.
more. We earn about US$4.50 for
to walk up there, do the work, and then walk home.
When we get good rainfall, we
each harvest, which is good for us.
can get up to three or four bundles
We are happy, because in the
We now farm maize, pumpkin
of maize. Otherwise, it might be
past, we would typically only be able
and other crops nearer to our homes,
only one or two bundles. Before, in
to grow enough maize to last us for
where we have land. Each year, little
the nineties, when we still had many
five months of the year, from harvest
by little, we increase the land we use
trees and people didn't burn land so
time (usually March) until about
for this. We also have a new vegetable
much, we could harvest up to fifteen
August or so.
garden near the new community
or twenty bundles up in the hills. [In
It hasn’t been perfect. There are
centre [both of which Oxfam has
the 1990s, when Timor-Leste was
ten women in our vegetable farming
supported]. There are ten women
under Indonesian occupation, forest
group, but it is three of us who are
farmers who run this garden, which
rangers would guard the forests and
doing most of the work. At first, when
is functioning like a demonstration
people who burned any trees would
our friends didn't come to work in the
plot, trying to show everyone here
be fined.]
vegetable garden, we thought about
better ways of farming. We have our
We have three types of maize.
a system to divide the vegetable
meetings right there at the centre.
Madua can be harvested in just a
beds among the group members, so
Other groups meet there too, like
month. Malnamuk is ready in two
if someone didn’t work, they would
fishing groups, which are mostly
months. We also have Sele, a new
lose their own vegetables. In the
men.
variety introduced by government
end, we decided not to do this. We
When planting time approaches,
which, although it needs three months
have worked so hard to establish the
we burn the land. It is a quick way
to harvest, we like it the most. It can
garden, and we didn’t want to give up
to clear the land of weeds. We then
survive well in very hot weather, not
any of the possible harvest. We work
plant the maize, using no chemical or
like the first two.
well the way we are.
organic fertilisers. We know that we
We plant many crops, not just
In the future, we would like to
won't get as much as when we farmed
maize. Some are grown down here
have bigger vegetable gardens right
up in the hills, but at least the harvest
in the new vegetable garden, some
beside our homes! That would be
is safe from the pigs and rats. We
like snake beans, velvet beans, sweet
nice! The community is advocating
do have to fence the new vegetable
potato, pumpkin, peanuts, cassava,
for a better water supply with the
garden to protect the crops from
taro and watermelon still up in the
government right now to try to make
goats, as people here don't usually
hills. In the past, we would only
this happen.
The new garden near the new community centre provides mustard (middle photo), kankung (a type of spinach) and many other vegetables.
In Marmer, Oxfam is working together with the community organisation Hadia Desenvolvimento Rural, which means To Improve Rural Development. Farming is one component of Oxfam’s programme in the area; others are income generation, family literacy, and disaster risk management. This article is compiled by Maria de Araujo Dos Reis, a programme officer with Oxfam Hong Kong. She and her colleagues met with Jacinta and Gracinda in July 2009.
Oxfam News E-magazine August 2009
ia Cambod
12 STEPS AGAINST POVERTY By Tobias Jackson
Clockwise: Cambodian farmers using System of Rice Intensification (SRI). In the project area, fields yielded up to 150% more in the very first harvest. Traditional water wheel to irrigate the SRI crops.
In many ways, Thkol Toch is no
income. More and more often, people
different than other rural Cambodian
had to borrow from loan sharks, and
communities : people depend on
more and more people could not
more self-reliant, sustaining the
planting rice and catching fish for a
repay. In the worst cases, families had
rice produc tion as well as other
living. Yet, life has been changing in
to sell their farmland, their key asset.
sources of income. The pilot farmers in
this village along Tonle Sap Lake in
All in all, life was getting worse, and
PromVihearThor’s project, for instance,
the west of the country. People are
people did not see any possibility to
have had the confidence to diversify
breaking tradition through a 12-step
improve the situation in the future.
their livelihoods by converting parts of
technique known as the System of Rice
Then, in June 2008, PromVihearThor,
second crop. PromVihearThor further
their farmland to growing vegetables,
Intensification, or shortened to SRI by
a community organisation based in
helped the process along by supplying
farming fish, and raising livestock.
the farmers who use it.
Pursat Province, began working with
the initial participants with a water
SRI and their subsequent innovative
Before SRI, farmers like Chea
Thkol Toch and other communities.
pump to enable them to irrigate the
agricultural ventures have helped
Sareth and Boeurn Noeurn in this small
They assisted residents there to set
land. Once the farmers had carefully
them to work their way out of poverty
village were not able to grow enough
up village-level associations, and
followed through with the twelve
and to ensure that their food and
rice from their small plots of land to
through these groups, the NGO has
steps, the results were evident in the
income are secure.
earn any cash, let alone to feed their
been better able to implement a range
very first growing season: the harvest
O verall, SRI ha s also b een a
families. Every year, farmers would run
of projects – the most important of
was between 2.7 and 3 tonnes per
good model to assist impoverished
out of food before the next harvest:
which is introducing farmers to the
hectare, 50 to 150 per cent more
farmers around the world to change
the rice stock would dwindle, usually
twelve steps of SRI. PromVihearThor
than in the past, plus their normal
their mindsets from a negative and
in July or August. People would be
encouraged farmers like Sareth and
wet season harvest. This changed
seemingly powerless one to a more
left with no choice but to undertake
Noeurn to attend information sessions
their lives fundamentally – for the
positive, can-do spirit. Sareth and
destructive activities to make a living,
on SRI held right in the community
first time, Sareth and Noeurn and the
Noeurn, and other farmers, have
such as cutting down trees to sell as
and arranged for study tours so
other farmers had enough rice to eat
come to believe that they can effect
firewood, unsustainable harvesting
that villagers could observe how
for the whole year and a surplus large
change in their lives. In Oxfam jargon,
of various forest products, and illegal
other farmers elsewhere had been
enough to sell on the open market.
this can be called sustainable self-
fishing. This would bring necessary
benefiting from SRI. Their efforts
This enabled them to earn cash to
driven development. In their minds,
money for families, but the longer
worked. Some families in the village
pay for health care, education and the
it probably means a better life, for
term environmental impacts meant
decided to try SRI.
other essentials of life which had been
themselves, their families and their
out of reach for so long.
communities.
negative impacts for the community as
Farmers were cautious at the
a whole: stocks of fish and other ‘wild’
beginning. Sareth and Noeurn, for
The twelve steps of SRI have many
products would fall drastically, and as
instance, used only part of their land,
positive ramifications. The technique
years went by, families were less and
and only during the dry season, to see
has helped empower hundreds of
less able to generate this additional
if this would enable them to produce a
farmers in Cambodia to become
Tobias Jackson coordinates Oxfam Hong Kong’s projects in Cambodia, where the agency has been supporting projects since the 1980s. The project with PromVihearThor outlined in this article began in 2006 and is due to phase out at the end of 2009.
Oxfam News E-magazine August 2009
China
Change takes Courage By Xiao Sha
It is easy to be amazed by the
He and his student Chen Zhimei did
beautiful landscape of Lanquan, a
the project assessments with the
village in the northwestern province
villagers in Lanquan, discussing the
of Gansu in China: the pure blue
possible ways of improving the quality
sky, with clouds as white as snow,
of life. One option was building
feels close. And it’s true: Lanquan is
sturdy sheds, about 7 x 4 x 2 metres,
situated about high on a plateau, with
where the livestock could sleep. This
wide horizons. Yet, life here can be
would ensure better health for the
harsh. The high altitude, from 2,040
valued animals, especially during
to 4,884 metres high, means that the
bitterly cold and windy winters. The
temperatures are too low to plant
average temperature in Languan
made the decision to try it, with huge
It took a whole day to do that. I would
preferred crops like rice and wheat, so
is about six degrees Celsius, and in
encouragement. Thank God it is the
be exhausted. Now, the sheds keep the
farmers mostly eat barley and beans,
winter, as low was minus twenty.
wisest decision we have ever made. It
hay dry. It relieves me a lot.” She ended
and get by on raising livestock, mostly
Winters were feared: it was in those
profits us so much.”
her account with laughter. “I love the
sheep. The average annual income is
months that sheep often grew thinner,
The positive impact has many
only about 700 Yuan, which classifies
weaker, became ill, and many died.
levels. Village-wide, the mortality
the community as impoverished, by
It was winter, in January 2008, that
rate for sheep has been lowered
The winter of 2008-2009 was the
official national standards.
the proposal of shed-building was
from twenty-five per cent before
first winter Qian tried the experimental
approved by Ox fam Hong Kong,
the use of sheds, to ten per cent.
sheds. “Last winter, we kept the sheep
with financial support of 3,000 Yuan
Sheep has been growing better in the
inside from early October. We were
per shed.
warmth of the sheds: the fattening
very worried about that, because we
Change began, but slowly. Farmers
rate has increased by ten per cent.
had never done that before.” With a
felt unsure about the new methods
Having sheds has considerably reduced
huge, warm smile, she says, “The shed
of using a shed, as opposed to open
people’s workloads, especially for the
works. It really did!”
grazing, which traditionally, the
women. Qian says, “We woman do
The success of the experiment
herders had been doing for hundreds
all the work by ourselves. In the past,
has convinced other villagers to
of years, rain or shine, summer and
before the sheds, I kept the livestock
accept the project. As of now, 38
winter. Not everyone was aware that
outside, making sure there was always
farmers have built themselves new
too much open grazing was damaging
enough hay for them. When it rained,
sheds for their livestock. Qian and
the grassland, and causing water
everything got wet – the sheep and
the other villagers also planted 95
loss and soil erosion. Few farmers
the hay – and the livestock would
acres of triticale and improved 413
had training in para-veterinary skills,
often get sick, and some would die.
acres of highland barley with better
and did not always see the linkage
As soon as the rain stopped, I had to
agricultural techniques.
between disease and winter time
quickly clear out the hay, replace it
grazing.
with a fresh supply, and round up the
Qian Xiushan, pictured here with her young child, was one of the first people to join the new agriculture project in Gansu. She says, "it is the wisest decision we [my husband and I] have ever made."
D r. Ya n g a n d Yu H u a m e i , a
One of the new stables in the village – keeping valued livestock safe and warm during the long, bitter winters.
sheep again into the clean, dry area.
rain because the land needs it, but I hate it too!”
An Assistant Communications Officer with Oxfam Hong Kong, Xiao Sha is based in Chengdu, China.
development worker with Oxfam, spent extra time with villagers like
Table 1
Qian Xiushan, 37, and her husband
Qian to communicate how the sheds
Before and After the Sheds
provide for their family – their four-
could work to their benefit. A new
year-old son – by tending about sixty
hay, triticale, a cross of wheat of
sheep and three cows. Last year, she
rye which grows fast and needs less
decided to change the way they had
water, was also being introduced. In
been raising the animals. She was one
time, Qian decided to attend livestock
of only a handful of farmers in the
training offered by Gansu Agriculture
village to embark on the change – the
University and to try the new way of
majority hesitated.
grazing. She and her husband were
It was Dr. Yang Lian, an expert of
in the first group who joined. She
agriculture from Gansu Agriculture
says, “My husband and I discussed the
University, who initiated the project.
shed project for two days, and finally
Mortality Rate Fattening Rate Amount of Labour
Before
After
Oxfam News E-magazine August 2009
OXFAM IN THE NEWS
Stop Climate Change, Stop Poverty
Less hot water in bathtubs in Hong Kong will mean less flooding in Bangladesh
Less air conditioning in Hong Kong will mean less poverty from typhoons in the Philippines
Less use of a dryer in Hong Kong will mean less drought in northwest China
Around the world, Oxfam Hong Kong is making sure that impoverished farmers are being better prepared for and can adapt to the increase in t yphoons , monsoons , flood s , droughts and other changes caused or exacerbated by climate change. Locally
In Mainland China, through www.
and globally, we are also advocating
oxfam.org.cn/ido, we ask people to
better governmental policies about
say, and mean, I DO – I do fight against
carbon dioxide emissions.
climate change! I do love 0º of poverty!
Around the virtual world, the
A media event was held in Beijing in
World Wide Web, we are also making
the last week of July, when we lifted a
our voice heard.
red cloth (symbolising the heat of C02)
In Hong Kong, through www.
off of the planet. In attendance were
oxfam.org.hk /climatechange, we are saying Less is Less – Less C0 2 means Less Poverty. Hong Kong emits twice the global average of carbon dioxide emissions, and this has to stop! Better policies are needed, and better daily habits too. Please go to our website and make your pledge to push for a fair climate deal at the next major UN climate change meeting in Copenhagen. Meanwhile, look out
32 Chinese media representatives, 20 company executives, 10 repre-
Browse Oxfam’s campaign on the Net.
sentatives from embassies, and 9 NGO representatives.
www.oxfam.org.hk/climatechange (our Hong Kong-based campaign) www.oxfam.org.cn/ido (our Mainland China-based campaign) Twitter: www.twitter.com/oxfamhongkong
for these three new posters that have
Facebook: www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=34678733199
been up around Hong Kong since the
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/oxfamchina/sets/72157621665879745
middle of July.
Oxfam News E-magazine August 2009
12
N e w PartnerOrganisations
Every day, Oxfam Hong Kong works alongside hundreds of groups around the world, from
Oxfam Books In thi s e ditio n of O. N . E , we highlight the Poverty Alleviation
Development Office, often shortened to PADO, has considerable experience with implementing rehabilitation
PADO, we sense that it truly understands
are 12 ‘partner organisations’ that
the needs of the communities it serves.
we are supporting for the first time,
PADO has cooperated with various
all in Mainland China.
international NGOs in the past, so they are also familiar with different
Office of Xihe County
• Qinzhou District Education Bureau, Tianshui City
• Zhen Yuan County Education
Bureau, Qing Yang Prefecture
working approaches and development concepts. T h e n e w j o i n t O x fa m - PA D O
• Ethnic Minority Bureau of Luocheng Muloazu Autonomous County, Ethnic Affairs Commission
• Ethnic Minority Bureau of Rongshui County, Ethnic Affairs Commission
• Poverty Alleviation Office
of Sanjiang Dong Minority Autonomous County, under Foreign Capital Poverty Alleviation Project Administration Center
Last month, this new book by Oxfam Hong Kong was profiled at the Hong Kong Book Fair 2009, one of Asia’s largest book fairs. The book covers the challenges that low-income countries face in providing basic health care and basic education. It also outlines the world's progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. Published in Chinese, an English translation of the title could be These are the Basics: Education, Health Care and Human Development. The 114-page illustrated book presents case studies from Angola, China, India, Laos, Kenya, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Timor Leste, including programmes that promote bilingual education with ethnic minority populations, the equal right to an education for girls, and affordable and accessible treatment for people with HIV-AIDS, and more.
projec t being implemented is in Niuyao, where there was massive destruction: of the 688 houses in the village, 386 collapsed and 189 became too dangerous to be lived in any longer. The residents, already poor before the earthquake, were further impoverished.
GUANGXI
To purchase on-line: http://www.oxfam.org.hk/public/bookstore/list
T he Pove r t y Alleviatio n and
groups based in Hong Kong. Here
• Poverty Alleviation and Development
Price : HK$80
China on 12 May 2008.
planning. In Oxfam’s meetings with
GANSU
ISBN : 962-664-029-4
devastating earthquake in western
developing countries to community
China, Minzu University of China
(These are the Basics)
Editor : Tung Tsz-kwan
term rehabilitation efforts after the
clear direction for social development
• The Ethnic Minority Study Center of
Oxfam is partnering with on long-
projects in Xihe County and has a
Educational Research
基礎教育．基本醫療．人類發展
County of Gansu Province, which
from government departments of
• China National Institute for
Title : 基．不可失
and Development Office for Xihe
small NGOs to international bodies,
BEIJING
These are the BASICS
PADO has already carried out several rehabilitation and poverty relief efforts in Niuyao, which has been helping survivors to reconstruct their homes, and to restore their
MOKUNG Oxfam Hong Kong publishes this bi-monthly magazine in Traditional Chinese. Mokung, which means both "no poverty" and "infinity", highlights a different aspect of development in each issue. The Editor is Tung Tsz-kwan. The focus of the June 2009 edition was on the financial crisis. The next edition will focus on farming and alternative community planning and development in Hong Kong. There are already hundreds of farms in Hong Kong, and tens of them are organic.
normal ways of life. The new project
To subscribe: www.oxfam.org.hk/public/bookstore/?lang=big5
ex tends this work, covering new
Mokung is online at www.oxfam.org.hk/public/contents/category?cid=1017&lan g=big5
biogas infrastructure, construction of storage units for collecting rainwater,
GUIZHOU
• Civil Affairs Department of JingPing County
• Institute of Sociology, Huazhong Normal University
• Qibuzou Education Team for Migrant Workers’ Children
protection of slopes against erosion, introducing new plant varieties of high-quality potatoes and walnuts, and pig raising projects with some very poor families. Various training sessions
ONE O.N.E – Oxfam News E-magazine – is uploaded monthly at www.oxfam.org.hk/one. To receive a copy in your inbox, please subscribe
SICHUAN
will be held with the residents. The
• Anxian County Office of Qianfo
total budget from Oxfam Hong Kong
– it is FREE.
is 935,446 Yuan.
To subscribe: www.oxfam.org.hk/one/subscribe.html
Mountain Conservation Zone
Oxfam Hong Kong
www.oxfam.org.hk Hong Kong
17th Floor, 28 Marble Road, Northpoint, Hong Kong O. N . E is also on-line: www.oxfam.org.hk/one Editor: Madeleine Marie Slavick (emagazine@oxfam.org.hk)