O.N.E - April 2010

April 2O1O

O.N.E Special: 20 million people in need of water: Drought in China JAPAN Emma Watson of Harry Potter fame launches a line of Fair Trade clothes ENGLAND Meet Anne MacCaig CEO of Cafédirect YUNNAN, CHINA Fair Trade is making a difference in women’s lives Hong Kong 52 Where to get Fair Trade Coffee (and 250 other things) Indie OFTEN a day of song, homemade tofu, soap and more

Illustration courtesy of Chopsticks

DROUGHT IN CHINA: 20 Million People Need Water

By Keith Wong and Bonnie Kwok

Yunnan: ‘the worst drought in 100 years’

Guizhou: 86 out of 88 areas affected cow, which would normally sell for

In Guizhou, the drought began in

3,000 Yuan sold for only 1,600 in the

July. It is the worst drought on record.

drought, when many other farmers

There is a local saying that the east of

were also selling their livestock. Before

the province gets a ‘winter drought’

the drought, water was available

and a ‘summer drought’ while the

in the village; now residents had to

west gets a ‘spring drought’, yet,

walk farther and farther. “I really

nearly all of Guizhou – 86 out of 88

wish I didn’t have to sell it, but I had

cities/counties – is affected. About 5

no choice. A cow needs a lot of water,

million people and more than 2 million

and I need water too. I’m too old to

farm animals are in need of water,

have to go and walk and collect water

and 160,000 hectares of farmland

myself, so I had to sell the cow to have

will not yield any harvest. (Another

the money to buy water.” Ma cried as

540,000 hectares will have a severely

she told us her story.

reduced yield.)

Oxfam Hong Kong’s emergency

O n 10 March , Ox fam ru shed

relief programme began in Ma’s

to the county of Puan to conduct

village in early March 2010. Residents

assessments. Although we had heard

are now helping each other collect

about the harsh conditions there,

water, in new jugs from Oxfam. “One

we were shocked by the severity:

jug of water is good for a day: I first

the outlying villages had little or no

use the water to soak rice and to wash

water, and even the town centre was

vegetables, then to clean my face, and

rationing the supply.

then to feed the pigs. That way I can save water.”

YUNNAN: Ma Hua, age 90: “Never in my entire life have I seen such a drought.”

T he s eve rit y of the drou ght

billion Yuan.

In the township of Guanziyao, local government official Vice Secretary

Oxfam is working alongside various

Luo led us to three villages: Songgui,

local government units in the counties

Hongyan and Lazishu. In Songgui, Luo

of Chuxiong, Nanhua and Luquan

pointed to a field of wheat and said,

to assist affected people, especially

“We used compartmentalisation in

impoverished farmers, people with

this field to grow a high-yield wheat; it

disabilities , and ethnic minorit y

was the technology used in last year’s

communities. Specifically, Oxfam is

poverty reduction programmes. The

providing drinking water, water jugs

field was expected to yield as much as

and other supplies, allocating nearly

420kg of wheat, but with the drought,

700,000 Yuan in Yunnan. Oxfam has

it will yield nothing.”

in Yunnan is so extreme that the

One resident named Ma Hua,lives

many years of experience and strong

In Hongyan, Luo told us, “A special

expression ‘once in a hundred years’

alone in a remote village in Luquan.

community networks in the three

transplanting technique was employed

is being used by meteorologists and

“I’m 90 years old this year,” she says,

project areas, especially in Luquan,

in the canola fields. Each mu (0.07

farmers alike: the province has been

“and never in my entire life have I seen

where the agency has been working

hectare) was supposed to yield 270kg

in drought since September 2009.

such a drought.”

since 1992.

of canola, but this year no canola was transplanted at all due to the drought.

About 7.8 million people and 4.9

Ma used to have one cow, three

million farm animals are suffering a

pigs and fifteen chickens — these were

water shortage, and 945,000 hectares

her only assets. She has been unable

Our last village to assess was

of farmland will have no harvest at

to provide water for her livestock, so

the hardest hit and also the most

all. Economic loss is estimated at 17.2

she was forced to sell her assets. Her

impoverished. Its name ‘Lazishu’

The crop failed completely.”

O.N.E April 2O1O

A drought is causing widespread suffering for more than 50 million people across the southwest – more than 20 million people need water. Guangxi, Guizhou and Yunnan, three of China’s most impoverished provinces, have been hardest hit. Oxfam Hong Kong is assisting more than 50,000 people in these three provinces through emergency projects implemented with various local government units. The agency estimates that its humanitarian programme will need a total of HK$2.5 million, and welcomes donations.

CHUXIONG, YUNNAN: Oxfam Hong Kong and the Poverty Alleviation Development Office of Chuxiong Prefecture are providing emergency water systems in five communities.

Oxfam’s emergency action in Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi includes providing drinking water, rice, materials for water storage units, and water containers (pictured).

Guangxi: drought relief in Bama and Lingyun means ‘chilli trees’– the trees here are

both human and livestock use.

so thin, like a piece of chilli. Lazishu is

Villagers tell Oxfam that with

a typical, high-altitude community:

two crop failures (of potato and

little infrastructure, few resources,

corn), they are short of food. Oxfam

very rocky if not barren soil, and as

is collaborating with the Chinese

in many other impoverished villages

Communist Youth League of Puan

across China, the residents are mainly

Count y to facilitate villager s to

elderly people, women and children.

transport water collectively, to provide

Many of the young adults live and

clean drinking water for one month,

work in the city.

and to supply two to three months

Collecting water is harder work

of food, depending on the severity

than ever. It can take several hours

of conditions. In Changshun, another

each day, walking back and forth.

badly-hit area, Oxfam is working with

Since several villages implemented

the Changshun County Committee

a programme to increase income

of the Chinese People's Political

through raising goats, people have to

Consultative Conference to implement

get water three or four times a day for

an emergency relief plan.

GUANGXI: Dried up crops

Guangxi has been experiencing drought since October 2009, with over 2.1 million people suffering from a shortage of water. Oxfam is working with the government of Bama County, where Oxfam has been working since 1995, to provide 6,150 residents with drinking water for one month. In Lingyun County, Oxfam is providing water equipment and covering watertransportation expenses for 2,865 residents of three ethnic minority villages.

FOR PHOTOS AND INFORMATION on Oxfam’s response in China: http://www.oxfam.org.hk/ public/contents/press?ha=&wc=0&hb=&hc=&r evision_id=79219&item_id=78123 Oxfam Hong Kong has been working in Mainland China since 1987. The agency has supported more than 1,800 programmes in almost every province / municipality / autonomous region, allocating a total of more than HK$500 million. Keith Wong and Bonnie Kwok are members of the Policy, Campaigns and Communications Unit of Oxfam Hong Kong.

GUIZHOU: A dried up reservoir

TO DONATE, call our hotline 3120 5000, or visit our website <www.oxfam.org.hk>

O.N.E April 2O1O

JAPAN, WITH LOVE from Emma

Emma Watson and friends model her new collection

by Madeleine Marie Slavick Five years ago, when the World

This is not a celebratory [sic celebrity]

involved, with more than 250 different

Japan in 1991 (ten years before they

Trade Organization met in Hong Kong

endor sement , this is something

products. A November 2008 survey

launched in England), they started

in 2005, there was a Fair Trade fashion

I thought was a really great idea and

indicates that about 18 per cent of the

out as an environmental NGO. The

show of organic cotton garments right

I wanted to help with… it's not made

population knows what Fair Trade is,

business now sources items from about

across the street from the meeting. It

using nasty chemicals, it's not going

but when the concept is explained,

50 Fair Trade groups in 15 countries.

was presented by Oxfam Hong Kong

to damage the environment and it's

about 80 per cent take an interest in

Their core customers are women,

and People Tree, one of Japan’s best

not going to make anyone sick or ill.

supporting it, especially women.

aged 25-40.

known Fair Trade brands.

And it's Fair Trade so you are actively

In Hong Kong, a 20 06 sur vey

Many companies in Japan have

helping someone who is living in poor

by Nielsen indicates a 73 per cent

joined the cause, including big chains

conditions.”

recognition rate. While Hong Kong

like Ion and the 24-7 convenience store Ministop.

More and more people are joining this ‘tree’ in Japan. Emma Watson, of Harry Potter fame, launched a new

Japan is crazy about Emma, who

and Japan of fer about the same

collection of handmade, organic and

turns twenty on the 15th of April.

number of products (250 +), Hong

Fair Trade clothes with People Tree in

Her collection, called ‘People Tree,

Kong seems to offer more spices and

late February. The clothes are made

With Love from Emma’, is for the 16-

food items in general, while Japan is

by fairly paid workers in Bangladesh,

24 market.

unique to offer fresh flowers: roses

India and Nepal.

How strong is the Fair Trade

Emma says on her website, “This

movement in Japan? More than 60

is not an Emma Watson clothing line.

companies and non-profit groups are

This farmer belongs to a coffee cooperative in Laos supported

by Oxfam Japan

from Kenya and carnations from Colombia.

People Tree is a pioneer. Set up in

For community groups, Alta Trade sells organic bananas from Mindanao, the poorest region of the Philippines, a country with several Fair Trade cooperatives. Alter Trade sells coffee from a cooperative in Laos supported

by Oxfam Japan, which has been advocating for fairer trade ever since it was established, in 2003.

For info on Fair Trade products in Japan: www.fairtrade-jp.org To wear Fair Trade clothes by Emma Watson: www.peopletree.co.uk/category/emma-watson/ Madeleine Marie Slavick is the editor of O.N.E. All images courtesy of People Tree

LEFT

The ‘School of Fair Trade’ design will go on a striped dress TOP

Here are two of the people who made Emma’s cardigan RIGHT

The screen-print for ‘Consumer Power Baby

O.N.E April 2O1O

O.N.E: What do you see as the potential for Hong Kong in the Fair Trade movement?

Cafédirect is the UK’s largest Fair Trade hot drinks company (coffee, tea and ho t choc olat e) and the first coffee brand to carry the Fair Trade trademark.

Cafédirect was established with the support of Oxfam in 1989, when the collapse of the International Coffee Agreement impoverished millions of coffee farmers.

I n 2004, Café d ire c t launched the largest ever ethical public share issue, allowing partners, consumers, employees, founders and other investors to own shares, to gain financial dividends and to have a say in the company’s governance. Cafédirect works alongside 260,000 coffee farmers in 40 groups in 14 countries; 34 of these groups opted to own shares in the company.

The year 2009 was a good year: Cafédirect won the coveted Ethical Business of the Year Award by Triodos, and scooped up the most ‘Foodie Oscars’ at the Great Taste Awards.

Oxfam Hong Kong brought CEO Anne MacCaig to Hong Kong at the end of March to be the keynote speaker of a Fair Trade conference. (see www.fairtradehk.org)

the developing world.

In Sri Lanka, Cafédirect buys tea from Kelliewatte factory, a Fair Trade

well as to provide services to both their farmer members and to Kelliewatte estate.

registered estate. As well as the tea

Af ter training on tea hus-

MacC AIG : Hong Kong has great

grown in the estate, Kelliewatte buys

bandr y, Athapaththu, Chairman

potential in the Fair Trade movement.

leaf from the smallholder tea farmers

of the smallholder association in

There is an increased awareness

in the villages surrounding the estate

Mahaweligama village, has gained

of the Fair Trade concept as a result of

to process together with the estate

a new understanding of the tea

coverage in Hong Kong media and it

tea. There are three villages in the

plant lifecycle and is in the process

has never been easier to find Fairtrade

immediate vicinity of the factory.

of replanting tea bushes that exceed

products in supermarkets, shops run

The majorit y of the residents in

75 years. He has also started to pluck

by NGOs, and independent cafes.

these villages are smallholder farmers

leaf more frequently, resulting in an

Thanks to campaigns and events

– who cultivate a combination of

increase of the yield on his farm and

by Oxfam Hong Kong and Fair Trade

coffee, tea, paddy, vegetables and

the gross profit made. Learning the

Hong Kong to raise awareness and

spices. The residents of one of these

proper technique for plucking is also

understanding of Fair Trade, an

villages, approximately 113 families,

resulting in a better quality tea being

increasing number of people in Hong

are originally from another village

sold to Kelliewatte.

Kong are developing an interest in

and were internally displaced in 1984

Fair Trade.

when the construction of a dam meant

Cafédirect launched in Hong Kong

their village was swamped. They were

in 2007. The expat communities were

originally paddy farmers and only took

the first to purchase as they were more

up tea farming in the 1980s.

O.N.E: Are there more men or women farmers with Cafédirect?

Cafédirect works with more male farmers than female farmers, but

aware about Fair Trade. The ethnic

Cafédirect invests over 50 per

we cons tantly seek to empower

Chinese community is now by far the

cent of its profits in tailor-made

women in the communities we work

main component of the Cafédirect

programmes to strengthen growers’

in partnership with.

consumer base.

businesses (our Producer Partnership

O.N.E: Is there a story behind the Cafédirect logo?

An impor tant point is that

Programme). Since Cafédirect started

Cafédirect products are reasonably

trading with Kelliewatte in 2006,

priced in Hong Kong, with the ground

Cafédirect’s investment has focused

The Cafédirect logo represents

cof fee blend s selling at around

on working with the smallholders

our ‘virtuous circle’ – the investment

HK$50.

to strengthen their organisational

made by Cafédirec t into grower

skills, improve their knowledge of

organisations which leads to better

tea husbandry, and develop a closer,

quality coffee, tea and cocoa, then

more direct relationship with the

more consumer demand, and increased

Kelliewatte factory. Early focus was

sales.

Cafédirect products are available in Wellcome and Park N Shop.

O.N.E: Right now, in Asia, Cafédirect works with coffee farmers in two countries, India and Sri Lanka.

Please tell us a story of one of the producer groups there.

on organising the smallholders into

Each pack of Cafédirect shows a

associations – which have a total of

tool used to grow this coffee, a photo

124 members. In June 2008, all three

of a grower who grew it, a hand-

associations were legally registered

written signature of this person and

Cafédirect buys its crops from

under Sri Lankan law. Their next goal

their personal quote that helps us

260,000 farmers in 14 countries around

is to pursue Fairtrade certification as

appreciate the expertise involved.

SRI LANKA: A.M.N.K Athapaththu, a tea farmer and Chairman of the Diriya Smallholder Association, says, "Before training we didn’t have a good understanding about using fertilisers or the life cycle of tea plants. We have old plants (over 75 years old) and realise we should replant… We receive support from Cafédirect and now produce high quality and healthy tea."

KENYA: Anne MacCaig with children near a vegetable patch in Michimikuru

TANZANIA: Anne MacCaig discussing the UK market with members of Rungwe Smallholders Tea Growers Association, a Fair Trade registered group / All photos courtesy of Cafédirect www.cafedirect.com

O.N.E April 2O1O

HONG KONG 52 52 places to buy Fair Trade Coffee & other fair items Hong Kong offers more than 250 Fair Trade products, everything from rice and oil, to honey, salt, wine and footballs.

Go to <www.FAIRTRADEhk.org> for info.

DRINK A CUP IN PUBLIC at cafes, clubs, restaurants…

1

Bookworm Café / www.bookwormcafe.com.hk / Lamma

2

Brunch Club, Brunch Club and Supper / www.brunch-club.org / Central, Causeway Bay

3

Café O / www.cafeo.hk / all locations

4

Club 71 / 2858 7071 / Central

5

Crossroads International / www.globalhandicrafts.org / Tuen Mun

6

Eat Right / www.eatright.com.hk / Central

7

Healthy Lane Café / Two locations in Central

8

Kubrick / www.kubrick.com.hk / Yau Ma Tei

9

Life / www.lifecafe.com.hk / Central

10 Pacific Coffee / www.pacificcoffee.com / Crema Scura Expresso at all locations 11 Simply Organic / www.simply-organic.com.hk / Causeway Bay 12 World Peace Café / www.worldpeacecafe.hk / Wanchai 13 Xen Coffee / www.xencoffee.com / Quarry Bay

at schools and universities…

14 Chinese University of Hong Kong / Women Workers’ Cooperative Store www. hkwwa.org.hk/?page_id=20 15 Hong Kong University / HEA Concept Store w3.cedars.hku.hk/ counselling/content/heastore.php 16 Ho Tung School / periodically offers coffee 17 King George Fifth (KGV) / offers coffee 18 Yew Chung International School (Secondary) / offers coffee 19 Lingnan University / Trueheart Society / 2464 5943

at trade fairs + other public events…

20 Fair Trade Fair 2007, 2008, 2010 21 Fair Trade Week 2009 22 Hong Kong Food Expo 2008, 2009, 2010

O.N.E April 2O1O

DRINK AT HOME

DRINK AT WORK

places to buy coffee to prepare yourself...

many members of Fair Trade Workplace Society offer coffee in their pantry/café…

23 Beauty of Grace / www.beautyofgrace.org / Kwun Tong 24 Boncafe / www.boncafe.com / Tsimshatsui

Asia Financial Holdings Asia Insurance

25 Breakthrough Youth Village / Sha Tin

A-World Consulting

26 City’super / www.citysuper.com / Various locations

AWTC (Lo + Lam) Consultancies

27 Club O / www.club-o.org / Mong Kok

Carthy C.K. Lo + S. Lam

28 Crossroads International / www.globalhandicrafts.org / Tuen Mun

Crossroads International

29 Fair Circle / www.hkfairtradepower.com / Jordan

DLA Piper Hong Kong

30 FAIRTASTE / www.fairtaste.org / Kwai Chung

FAIRTASTE Financial Dynamics Asia

31 GOURMET / www.aswatson.com / Causeway Bay

Henderson Land

32 Great / www.aswatson.com / Admiralty

Hobby Horse Toys

33 Green Concepts Health Shop / www.naturalhealing.com.hk / Causeway Bay

Hong Kong Convention + Exhibition Centre The Hong Kong and China Gas

34 Green Cottage / www.ymcagrassroots.org/Web2007Oct/cottage.htm / Lamma

The Hong Kong Council of Social Service

35 Health Gate / ww

Hysan Development

w.health-gate.com / Central

36 HKCSS – HSBC Social Enterprise Business Centre / www.se-mart.org.hk 37 JUSCO / www.jusco.com.hk

The Hong Kong Institute of Education J + H Company / One J + H Company / Harlan’s KEEP Consulting

38 Market Place by Jasons / www.marketplacebyjasons.com / Various locations

Mainland Headwear

39 Marks and Spencer / www.marksandspencer.com / All locations

NWS Holdings

40 MUJI / www.muji.com.hk / All locations

Marks and Spencer (Asia Pacific) ONC Lawyers Oxfam Hong Kong

41 Oliver’s / www.dairyfarmgroup.com / Central

The Royal Bank of Scotland

42 The Oxfam Shop / www.oxfam.org.hk / Causeway Bay and Central

Urban Group

43 PARKnSHOP / www.parknshop.com / Selected shops 44 Protrek / www.protrek.com.hk/oxfam_corner.htm / Kowloon Bay

WITH STARS

45 Rise Plus / www.riseplusgroup.com / Central

These stars support the movement and have had a cup or two…

46 St. John’s Cathedral Bookstore / www.stjohnscathedral.org.hk/fairtrade.html / Central

at17

47 Simply Organic / www.simply-organic.com.hk / Causeway Bay

Jim Chim (pictured on page 6)

48 SOGO (Boncafe) / www.sogo.com.hk / Causeway Bay

Craig Au Yeung Karena Lam Wong Yiu Ming (Anthony Wong)

49 Starbucks / www.starbucks.com.hk / Estima (coffee beans) 50 TASTE / www.aswatson.com / Kowloon Tong 51 ThreeSixty / www.threesixtyhk.com / All locations 52 Wellcome / www.wellcome.com.hk / Various locations

Fair Trade football game, 13 March: the ball was made in Pakistan and is sold in Hong Kong

WITH WHOLE cities… there are more than 650 Fairtrade-certified villages / towns / cities / regions in the world. When will Hong Kong join the list? go to <www.oxfam.org.hk/ONE//200910/index.html> for more on Oxfam Hong Kong and Fair Trade

Oxfam Hong Kong colleagues support Fair Trade. Oxfam Hong Kong is a full member of the World Fair Trade Organization as of March 2010

O.N.E April 2O1O

FAIR TRADE in YUNNAN, CHINA Words and photos by Stephanie Cheung

(left to right) Stephanie Cheung, Oxfam; a Yunnan craftswoman who made the tassels and straps; Gale Lok, Chopsticks designer of the fai-chuen; Gale's partner

The Zhuang minority are known for their embroidery skills, and the

earned from the women’s embroidery products.

‘fai-chuen’ – the traditional couplets

These women in Pingzhai, a small

that families put on either side of their

village in Yunnan Province in the

doorways to greet the Lunar New Year

southwest of China, are primarily

– are a testament to this.

subsistence farmers: canola, rice and

The fai-chuen double as

maize. They eat what they grow.

decorative bags, so they can be used

To earn cash to pay for school fees,

year-round.

health care and other expenses, some

This Year of the Tiger, special fai-chuen were made for the Hong

residents go into towns and cities to find jobs.

Kong market. Red. Yellow. Blue. Pink.

Now, with Fair Trade right in the

Bright colours for bright wishes: ‘ji

village, women can earn income at

xiang’ is a wish for good luck, and ‘ru

home. Families can stay together,

yi’ a wish that one receives what the

people can afford health care, and

relations, and recognise the value of

heart desires.

children are able to go to school.

their culture and traditions.

Group leader Li Jinfeng put her income towards building a new house

The fai-chuen take about 28 hours

The idea for the Fair Trade fai-chuen

How did the money earned

to make. The first step is choosing

came from Chopsticks, a new company

from the fai-chuen assist families in

colours and patterns, then cutting,

in Hong Kong, while the project was

Pingzhai? Women told Oxfam that

mounting, embroidering stitch by

facilitated by Oxfam Hong Kong.

they have spent the money for their

tiny stitch, assembling the tassel from

Yet, the women’s embroidery group,

children's education, and for seeds and

thread, making the strap, folding cloth

under the Women’s Development

fertilisers. Two women went to see a

into intricate button-clasps, and then

Group of Pingzhai, originally began in

doctor with their earnings. Li Jinfeng,

sewing the panels together.

2007 through the coordination of the

the group leader, put her money

Everything is done by hand except

Rural Social Work Research Centre of

towards building a new house.

for the last step of connecting the

Yunnan University. The Centre wanted

Oxfam has a few fai-chuen left.

two panels. That step is done by the

to assist the women to earn income,

To order yours, filled with Fair Trade

one sewing machine in the village – a

participate in community affairs, equal

cashew nuts from Vietnam, give

machine purchased with the income

out the power imbalance in gender

Oxfam a call at 852 - 3120 - 5273.

For more background on the fai-chuen project, go to: http://www.oxfam.org.hk/public/contents/pres s?ha=&wc=0&hb=&hc=&revision_id=76822&it em_id=73918 Stephanie Cheung works on Fair Trade with Oxfam Hong Kong. She visited Yunnan, China, in late 2009.

O.N.E April 2O1O

OH HEAR… Here are the lyrics of ‘Into the Fair’, a song written for OFTEN, twelve hours of organic, Fair Trade and environmental friendly fun, food, workshops, crafts, music, talks on nutrition, and more…

Oh hear the suburban scream Beyond the arch of the stream This is where blood and sweat reconcile We are the same, you and I Please stop impairing my kind We need no technology but love How would you feel if fairness turns unreal?

Refine, the meaning behind Then hope will soon be found We've got to make a stand Fight with our bare hands Heal this no man’s land Verse

It's just a little story About the adventure of an ignorant man He knows no history Why the farmers leave their lands in despair; done for in empty hands They've got little from what they've grown In this free but unfair world Finally he's learnt about the evil of the system And addresses the problem So he sings...

Chorus

Give them a chance, help them lead a better life Help them sustain their culture and living Everything will go right way up As we spread this message of love Music by Innisfallen, Modern Children and Velvette Vendetta Lyrics by Erik Piece (Innisfallen) and Jacky Ho (Velvette Vendetta) Vocal and Guitars: Jacky Ho (Velvette Vendetta), Erik Piece (innisfallen) Vocal and Bass: Kenneth Tsang (Modern Children) Drums & Background Vocal: Marvin Lee (In Love and Pain!)

China Drum & Background Vocal: Jan Lo (Qiu Hong)

OFTEN was brought to you by www.CHOPSTICKS-co.com, the same energetic company behind the Year of the Tiger fai-chuen. (See page 8) Ten per cent of the proceeds of OFTEN were donated to Oxfam Hong Kong.

Both Visuals Courtesy of Chopsticks / Concept and Photos by Magic Circle Studios

O.N.E April 2O1O

O.N.E April 2O1O

10

5

N e w PartnerOrganisations

Every day, Oxfam Hong Kong works alongside hundreds of groups around the world, from small NGOs to international bodies, from government departments of developing countries to community groups based in Hong Kong. Here are 5 ‘partner organisations’ that we are supporting for the first time.

CAMBODIA • 3S Rivers Protection Network

CHINA

• Non-Timber Forest Products • Guangxi / Department of Ethnic Affairs of Bama County

• Yunnan / Runtu Mutual Aid Working Group

(a volunteer group under the Yunnan Youth Development Foundation)

VIETNAM

• The Center for Water Resources Conservation and Development

In this edition of O.N.E, we highlight the 3S Rivers Protection

The focus of the Oxfam-3SPN programme is on capacity building

Network, a civil society organisation representing about 64,000

for communities, community mobilisation, advocacy networks, public

indigenous people in Cambodia who live along three rivers beginning

awareness raising on the impacts of dams and the rights of indigenous

with the letter ‘s’ – the Sesan, Srepok and Sekong, which is part of the

people, promoting “best practice” environment and socio-economic

greater Mekong River basin.

development policies, and promoting multi-stakeholder and multi-level

Usually called 3SPN for short, the NGO is based in Ratanakiri, a

dialogue and cooperation. The programme is due to assist about 31,000

province in the northeast, which is a focus area of Oxfam Hong Kong’s

people in 74 villages from now until the end of 2011. (The programme

work in the country.

will also extend to 2012.)

Hydropower dam construction is impacting the livelihoods of many

Established in 2001, 3SPN focuses on river protection and advocacy

poor communities in the Mekong Basin: flash flooding from released

related to dams, two areas that other NGOs in the country are relatively

water; environmental destruction due to construction; reduced water

less experienced in. 3SPN engages with NGOs at the provincial, national

quality; forced relocation; and severely affected livelihoods. Oxfam

and regional level and is officially registered with the Ministry of the

Hong Kong is supporting 3SPN on community-based initiatives to

Interior. They currently employ twelve staff members, of whom seven

restore natural resources and to improve the quality of people’s life.

are women.

MOKUNG

O.N.E Oxfam News E-magazine is published monthly, at www.oxfam.org.

The focus of the March edition

hk/ONE.

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when purchasing items connected to

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various causes.

In Chinese, MOKUNG means both 'infinity' and 'no poverty' – there are so many things to be done to stop

O.N.E (Oxfam News E-magazine) is published monthly by Oxfam Hong

poverty and its injustice.

Kong, 17th Floor, China United Centre, 28 Marble Road, North Point,

Published by Oxfam in Traditional

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