O.N.E December 2010

December 2O1O

m d a f Ox appe r w Un

THE SHOPPING EDITION THINKING ABOUT THE FOOD WE BUY / ONE PERSON – JOHN SAYER

CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, CATTLE, FARMERS, YOU, ME

Fair Trade, organic, eating locally, sustainability, food from Africa, ethical sourcing, carbon labels… These are things that Oxfam Hong Kong Director John Sayer thinks about when he chooses what to eat.

Construction workers in Hong Kong already deal with a 30 degrees Centigrade workspace. Farmers in Ethiopia are losing cattle and crops. Climate change affects us all. In the lead-up to the climate talks in Mexico in December, Hong Kong recently hosted the global alliance, C40; and Oxfam Hong Kong is doing all it can to stop climate change, and to protect people from further poverty and hardship.

FAMILY, POVERTY and SHOPPING in HONG KONG A new report by Oxfam reveals more poverty among families, despite at least one member being in the workforce. How do they stretch their money to buy enough groceries? Wong Shek Hung reports.

BUYING THE RIGHT STUFF FOR HAITI As the one-year anniversary of the major earthquake in Haiti approaches, Oxfam Logistics Supply Manager Florent Mayolle talks about how Oxfam sourced the necessary supplies to help hundreds of thousands of people.

CHINA VOICES Take a look at Oxfam Hong Kong's newest book, CHINA VOICES, on life in China for women, workers, children, elderly people, ethnic minorities and more.

ACTION Hong Kong youth visit workers in Indonesia and then take their action to the streets of Hong Kong, through conversation and song.

‘SHOPPING’ for CROPS TO GROW in BANGLADESH

LITTLE BLACK PIG

With the climate changing, farmers may need to change the crops they grow.

M.D. Ferdous Alam tells how, in northeast Bangladesh, people are trying out the potato and radish, and using elevated land.

Shop at Oxfam Unwrapped. A little black pig is a new gift this holiday season, or for any special day. In Nepal, a black pig is an asset. In Hong Kong, pigs are seen as kind creatures, even sweet. Yet also bittersweet. Read on…

When you are buying food, do you look at where it came from?

Many people like to know the origin of their food; and for a variety of reasons.

Some worry about food additives, contamination and the effectiveness of regulation, some are concerned about whether the sale is helping producers in that country, and some worry about how far their food has travelled.

How do we reconcile these different concerns?

ONE PERSON JOHN SAYER

In Hong Kong, I try to purchase organic

see this as a measure of the product’s

agricultural products may have a lower

vegetables when I can, knowing

carbon footprint.

carbon footprint.

But the picture is not that simple.

And those fresh local products out of

that when I eat out, I often have no knowledge or control over where the food comes from and what chemicals have been used in its production.

season? In the UK, British apples sold in The argument that local food has a lower

the wintertime may have been in cold

carbon footprint is open to challenge. A

storage for as long as ten months. Local,

I also choose Fair Trade foods when I

study some time ago showed that some

yes! Sustainable, no.

can. These usually come from developing

fruit, flowers and vegetables flown from

countries by air and by sea. In many

Africa to the United Kingdom actually

A carbon label on food products

developed places like Hong Kong, an

used less energy than flowers from the

might be more valuable than simply a

increasing proportion of food comes

neighbouring country of Holland. The

statement of its place of origin.

from the developing world, whether it

reason for this apparent paradox is that

is green beans from Kenya or avocados

in Europe, the flowers for example were

There is a second case for thinking

from Peru.

a product of mechanised agriculture,

twice when you turn away from African

and machines use fuel. Moreover, they

foods on your supermarket shelves. For

There is a movement for ‘eat local’ food.

were grown in fuel-guzzling heated

developing countries, all exports are

Its advocates argue that by purchasing

greenhouses in colder months. In

important. As these countries are usually

food locally, you are supporting your

contrast, African growers are among the

not industrialised, they need to buy most

local economy, getting fresher food, and

most efficient in terms of energy use

manufactured goods overseas, from

reducing the greenhouse gas emissions

per capita. They use fewer chemicals,

simple items like cloth and plastic buckets,

used in transporting your food halfway

less equipment and no artificial heating.

through to complex but essential items

across the world. Proponents count the

So, despite the energy used to transport

like computers and vehicles. To earn

‘food miles’ of imported products and

African products to Europe, African

foreign exchange, developing countries

O.N.E December 2O1O

PHILIPPINES: Edrulfo Astilla (right) with John Sayer. Oxfam’s project with Kasanyangan Rural Development Foundation (KRDFI) in Mindanao is improving vegetable production and productivity.

About 100 farms are adopting rubber-based farming systems and setting the ground work for a sustainable development programme, engaging with the local government and other stakeholders.

MALAWI: Bessie Nambwereko (centre), a facilitator with Societies Tackling AIDS through Rights, or STAR, with John Sayer (right).

STAR is working to reduce gender-based violence and harmful sexual practices, such as FISI, where a man sleeps with several female partners as a ritual for the man’s sexual cleansing and as a girl’s rite of passage. John Sayer brought a small gift of a fish, which in China can be a symbol of abundance. / Photo: Navin Vasudev

export what they can, mostly from

their own people. It is not an either-or

conditions for workers on export farms.

primary industries: raw materials and

question; it is more a question of how

I will support initiatives that help farms

agricultural products. If we don’t purchase

effective a country’s agricultural and

become good corporate citizens in their

agricultural products from Africa – in the

economic systems is.

community in terms of social programmes

name of the environment, or in the name

and environmental protection.

of protecting our local farmers – we are

When we buy food or flowers in

depriving developing countries of the

supermarkets, do they come from small

If we are thinking about sustainability

market for one of their few competitive

farms? Some do, and some don’t. Some

of the food we eat, an important issue

exports, one of their few chances to earn

ethical sourcing supermarkets deliberately

is whether the producer is living a

precious foreign exchange.

purchase a proportion of their products

sustainable lifestyle, and whether our

from smallholders. Where all the goods

purchase helps support the livelihood

The Fair Trade movement deliberately

come from large commercial operations,

of someone who is living a modest,

focuses on producers in developing

does this benefit poor people? Well,

sometimes precarious life on this planet.

countries, calling on consumers to

large farms create jobs, and, as I have

Making consumer choices that help close

support small-scale producers in less

said, they earn foreign exchange for the

the gap between rich and poor people

developed countries. If food miles were

country where they are located, and they

is one important component of living a

the only issue here, then nobody should

pay tax to the government.

truly sustainable lifestyle.

I will continue to purchase farm products

Written by John Sayer, Director General of Oxfam Hong Kong

buy Fair Trade products!

Another argument that developing

from Africa. At the same time, I will

countries exporting food will leave

continue to try and understand what

people hungry is a fallacy. African

we can do to ensure more of the money

countries with healthy export markets

I pay goes back to Africa. I will support

generally also do a better job at feeding

groups pressing for good wages and

O.N.E December 2O1O

Text and photos by Wong Shek Hung

Ms. Ng, 55, supports herself and her

A few weeks ago, she and her son had

14-year-old son on HK$21 an hour

their first meal out in seven years. “I

(US$2.7). She works six late nights

have to have surgery soon, and I don’t

a week, from 11:00 pm to 6:00 am,

know whether I will be fine afterwards,

cleaning toilets and staircases at a luxury

so I wanted to fulfill my son’s wish to try

shopping mall. She earns HK$3600

sushi.” The meal cost HK$110, which is

(US$465) a month.

what she normally spends for a full week of meals, but she feels it was important

Ms. Ng shopping for low-priced vegetables

Surviving on such a limited income, she

to do. “It’s a struggle to make ends

shops extremely carefully. Every other

meet,” Ms. Ng sighs, “and I really hope

day, she walks from her home in Shek Kip

the government can help people like us.”

Mei to the market in Mongkok. It takes her an hour each way. She says the food

Ms. Ng’s family is one of the 192,500

is the cheapest there, so it pays off. She

families in Hong Kong who fall under

often buys potatoes and frozen chicken

the poverty line despite the fact that a

wings and sausage, as they keep for a

family member is working. According to

long time and can be stretched out over

“Employment and Poverty in Hong Kong

several meals.

Families”, Oxfam Hong Kong’s most recent report on poverty in Hong Kong,

A typical meal is sausage and vegetables

Shopping in Mainland China is another

poverty has worsened among families

strategy. When she goes home once

of low-income workers: a 12 per cent

a year to see her relatives, she gets as

increase in the past five and a half years,

many basic items – such as bedding, meat

rising from 172,600 to 192,500 families.

and spices – as she can. “I half-cook the meat to get around Hong Kong Customs’

To read the full report, go here: http://www.oxfam.org.hk/en/news_1301.aspx

rules against raw meat,” she says.

O.N.E December 2O1O

An effective, responsible and credible

a worker’s need to support his or her

income support and as a supplementary

government must be committed to a

family, as Oxfam’s report indicates

provision to the minimum wage.

long-term policy aimed at slashing the

that every employed family member

number of people living in poverty and

has an average of at least two others

closing the income gap. The minimum

to support. The government must

wage is a good start, but it alone cannot

also enlarge childcare and transport

lift families out of poverty. The statutory

allowance schemes, and in the long run,

minimum wage must take into account

tax credits should be explored as direct

Ah-Yee spends about one-fourth of her approx.

HK$4,500 monthly salary on transportation to work. She thinks the government should expand the existing transport support scheme to provide subsidies for wage earners.

To read the full report, go here: http://www.oxfam.org.hk/en/news_1301.aspx Wong Shek Hung is an Advocacy Officer with Oxfam Hong Kong. She and her colleague, Alfred Choy, worked on Oxfam Hong Kong’s employment and poverty report, which was launched on 19 September 2010. They have given many media interviews and have presented their findings to fellow NGOs, unions, government officials and to Oxfam Hong Kong supporters.

Wong Shek Hung, Advocacy Officer (left) and Alfred Choy, Programme Officer, address the media at the launch of the Oxfam Poverty Report: Employment and Poverty in Hong Kong Families, published on 19 September 2010.

• Hong Kong has the highest income gap (Gini coefficient, 43.4) among developed economies (UNDP).

No. of employed poor household

• The richest 10% families have 27 times more income than

from 2005 to 2010 (000')

Hong Kong’s poorest families.

• From 2005 to 2010, the monthly income of the poorest

No. of employed poor household (000')

families has stayed the same (HK$3,000) while the richest families’ income increased from HK$70,000 to HK$80,900.

195

192.5

190.8

• One out of every 10 families (10.2%) with at least one

190

working member lives in poverty, an increase of 12% in

189.3

189.7

2008

2009

186.9 185

the past 5.5 years, from 172,600 to 192,500 families.

• 64.6% of these families (124,300 families) earn less than

180

the government social welfare payment each month

175

(CSSA).

172.6

170

• About 65% of the households have at least three family members.

165

• Over 63% of the families have dependents aged below 15

160

or above 65.

2005

2006

2007

2010

Year

• The ratio of workers to dependents in these families is 1:2, compared to the overall ratio of 1:0.8.

Source: Oxfam Poverty Report: Employment and Poverty in Hong Kong Families (2010)

O.N.E December 2O1O

THE RIGHT STUFF FOR HAITI Interview with Florent Mayolle It is almost one year since the devastating earthquake in Haiti. O.N.E. talks with a humanitarian logistics specialist about how Oxfam made sure that the right supplies were sourced and delivered for survivors.

air shipments, thanks to prepositioned

which we knew could be in short supply

principles when sourcing supplies in

emergency stocks we had in Barcelona

in the local market. This was the case

an emergency?

and Panama. In the first week or so,

with fuel, for example, of which large

we established a supply platform in the

quantities were stored in the first few

Mayolle: Quantity and Quality.

Dominican Republic, since transport

hours after the earthquake. This fuel

These are always the most important

infrastructure (airport and port) in

allowed the teams from Oxfam to work

things. We have to provide items that

Haiti were not operating at that time.

from the first day, while other teams

meet people’s needs and correspond fully

Our priority during the first weeks was

were stopped by lack of fuel for cars and

to international standards [such as the

availability, so most of the supplies came

motor pumps.

International Standards for Humanitarian

from the Dominican Republic market,

Response, or SPHERE]. Availability is

the regional one (Panama, USA) and

To choose between a local purchase and

next. This can be a big concern at the

the international one. Little by little, we

a regional or international one, and to

beginning of an emergency; it may take

purchased more and more from the local

choose whether to send by sea or by

a good amount of work to be able to

market right in Haiti, which benefits the

air freight, we look at the quantity of

find the quantities required. The obvious

people the most because it stimulates the

goods required, then the availability

local market might already be depleted,

local economy.

in the market. Then we balance in the

O.N.E: W h a t

are the general

delivery time required and the global

or not functioning, due to the disaster.

Delivery time. The speed of the delivery

Before the emergency, we also had

price of goods and transport. For

depends on where we source the goods,

a contingency plan in place in the

example, according to the activity project

the means and availability of transport,

Dominican Republic. Market studies had

schedule, we might be able to split an

and the customs process. Price. We

been conducted to identify suppliers, so a

international order, sending one part by

always look for the best competitive

database of suppliers was prepared. This

air to be available for the project (and

prices when we have to purchase goods/

enabled us to find and select suppliers

the people!) in a short time and the

materials. For the transport, we think

quickly.

remaining part by sea in order to reduce transport costs. For the same freight,

about both price in terms of cash and the possible pollution and carbon emissions.

O.N.E: Can

you speak specifically

about the response in Haiti? How and

We had an infrastructure in place (people,

transport can cost 5000 euros by sea and

vehicles, networking, buildings..) which

100,000 euros or more by air. That is

allowed us to be operational from the

why it is really important to have good

Dominican Republic in 24 hours.

communication and coordination with project managers and officers to identify

where did Oxfam source supplies, locally or from other countries? How

To finish, in our supply strategy for Haiti,

does Oxfam select suppliers?

we put in place a pipeline including

the delivery times required.

several warehouses situated between

To ensure that the supplies can be

Mayolle: In the very first 48 hours, we

Santo Domingo and Port Au Prince, in

safely delivered, road transport from

managed to organize two emergency

which we stored materials/equipment

the Dominican Republic border to Haiti

O.N.E December 2O1O

Oxfam supplies arriving / Photo: Kenny Rae, Oxfam America

Aid flight arrives in Santo Domingo / Photo: Kenny Rae, Oxfam America

Materials for water storage / Photo: Ivan Munoz, Intermon

was secured by the United Nations,

setting the groundwork for continued

w h i l e t h e Wo r l d F o o d P r o g r a m m e

work in many communities across the

ensured secure storage facilities in Port

country.

Florent Mayolle is Logistics Supply Manager of the Humanitarian Department of Intermon Oxfam in Barcelona, Spain. A special thanks to Angel Ng, from the humanitarian team of Oxfam Hong Kong, who coordinated correspondence and helped source photographs.

au Prince. Internally, we put in place communication

channels that allowed

us to always be in contact with the teams

O.N.E: W h a t

were the main

difficulties encountered in sourcing

in Port Au Prince; we could evaluate

supplies? How were they different

the security situation between Santo

from other emergencies? How did

Domingo and Port Au Prince.

Oxfam cope?

O.N.E: Can

you give a breakdown

of supplies in the first few months?

Mayolle: The main constraint was the availability of the goods and materials.

The supply available within Haiti itself

Mayolle: I can give you an overview

was exhausted very quickly because

of the volume of activities in the first

of the huge needs and the number of

month from the supply platform in

NGOs involved in the emergency. The

Santo Domingo. We received 437 metric

solution was to extend our usual areas

tonnes of relief supplies there, which

of sourcing, looking for new suppliers at

we then sent on to Port au Prince. This

the regional and international level. We

included 20 planeloads of supplies sent

also collaborated with other NGOs such

from Europe. To supplement this, we

as ACH (Accion Contre el Hambre) to

purchased 75 metric tonnes of materials,

borrow supplies from their stock.

or 630,000 items, in the Dominican Republic.

As previously mentioned, another big constraint was that the transport

In the first six months, these supplies

infrastructure was not working. We

Florent Mayolle

helped provide clean drinking water

solved this problem by working through

Logistics Supply Manager

and sanitation facilities for over 317,000

our supply platform in the Dominican

Humanitarian Department

people, hygiene kits (soap, shampoo,

Republic, stocking, purchasing goods,

Intermon Oxfam

toothbrushes, toothpaste, sanitary pads,

ensuring transit for goods arriving by

fmayolle@intermonoxfam.org

towels) for about 120,000 people, and

ship and air, and organising all the

Tel : +34 93 48 20 855

tarpaulins and tents for 98,000 people.

transportation of goods and people to

Fax : +34 93 34 35 076

Oxfam al so developed partnerships with

Haiti.

over 30 local and national organisations in the country – these partnerships are

O.N.E December 2O1O

Billions of people, in developed

and technology. Supporting the action

Farmer Sefya Fungie Hussene ,

and developing societies, are being

was (from left to right) Legislative

39, says rain used to come regularly in

affected by climate change. In early

Councilor Audrey Eu, Ethiopian farmer

Ethiopia, and farmers could easily plan

November, Oxfam Hong Kong rang

and activist Sefya Fungie Hussene,

their planting and harvest times. “But

an alarm loud and clear to point out

construction worker Wong Wai Man,

the change in the climate is completely

that poor people, from construction

Legislative Councilor Gary Chan, and

crazy, and there are huge losses for

workers in Hong Kong to farmers in

Oxfam Economic Justice Campaign

people like me. I used to have 54 cattle,

Ethiopia, are the most vulnerable to

Manager Stanley So. At the event,

but due to changes in the climate, they

the impacts of climate change. This

Oxfam also screened two documentary

couldn’t find enough grass to eat. Since

action was heard by policymakers in

videos on how the climate is making

the lake has receded, there is little or no

Hong Kong and around the world, as

the lives of outdoor workers and

grazing land by the shore. Because of

it was conducted during the meeting

of cubicle-dwellers in Hong Kong

the lack of food and water, most of my

of the C40, an alliance of leaders from

even more difficult. The videos were

cattle have died. The few that survived

40 cities to address climate change,

produced by Oxfam Youth Campaign

had to be sold so we could buy food to

mostly through low-carbon emissions

Partners.

live on. That’s how I lost all my cattle.

“The change in climate has ruined our livelihood in many ways. Right now, we make ends meet by selling our land to those who have money and then end up working as day labourers on our own land for the new owners. People are also cutting trees down to sell the wood.

O.N.E December 2O1O

“As I no longer have the means to

Hong Kong construction workers are

Stanley So (right), manager of

support all my children, only three of my

also at risk. Wong Wai-man , 55,

Oxfam Hong Kong’s Economic Justice

eight kids are still with me. It’s been five

says the only way to continue working

Campaign, added, “We want to remind

or six years since we’ve been separated.

outdoors in Hong Kong’s heat, which

Hong Kong officials and C40 leaders

The fact that they live somewhere else

often exceeds 30 degrees Centigrade,

that, apart from talking about reducing

is very hard for me. No one gives up a

is to drink about five litres of water

carbon emissions, they must take

child voluntarily. Losing our assets was

per day, which is about twice what

care of vulnerable groups.” Oxfam

bad, but the fact that our family is now

he needed to drink two decades ago.

Hong Kong urges the Hong Kong SAR

scattered is devastating. What makes

Wong has been a construction worker

Government to formulate heat wave

me sad is that life, rather than death, is

for 33 years, and about three years ago,

emergency plans and other concrete

what separated our family.”

he started to take part in the labour

policies; legislation is also needed to

movement. Recently, he has taken up

require employers in Hong Kong to

Sefya is more than a farmer; she is also

the issue of climate change and its

provide protective measures for outdoor

a community activist, advocating tree

impacts on workers, and he is now

workers in extreme weather conditions.

planting, and speaking out at meetings

fighting for regular rest breaks.

The Hong Kong Government has yet to adequately address the needs of elderly

on climate change.

A video of Sefya: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZK-0Lg157M

The Hong Kong Labour Department

people, the chronically ill, people living

has guidelines to protect construction

in substandard accommodations, and

workers against heat stroke, such as

outdoor workers such as construction

adequate rest breaks and a cool, shaded

workers.

rest area, but Mr. Wong asserts that many employers ignore the guidelines and that workers have to continue to work without protection, because they need the pay. His workday is difficult, he says. “There is a saying among construction workers: ‘If you work, only one person will die. If you don’t, the whole family will starve to death.”

O.N.E December 2O1O

Photos courtesy of Reliant Women Development Organization

RWDO formed groups of 10 to 15 farmermembers as a way to build cohesion and support for the work at hand: shopping around for suitable crops, learning and using new methods, and then cultivating The haor is a large, bowl-shaped tectonic

crop zone, the loss of a crop means loss

and harvesting the new crops. These

depression in northeast Bangladesh

of income, loss of food security, and

members all attended training sessions

that receives surface runoff water from

more hunger. In 2009, most farmers

to build their technical, agricultural

many rivers and khals (streams), and

could not harvest their sole crop due to

and financial skills, and have started

consequently, becomes an extensive

flashfloods. If this continues, more than

cultivating different robi crops (winter

body of water during the monsoon

20 million people will be at great risk.

crops) other than boro rice, such as

season. Flooded for six or seven months

potatoes and radishes, which are sown

of the ye a r, t h e a r e a i s a w e t l a n d

Given this context, crop diversification

in the winter and harvested in spring or

ecosystem from about May to October

is imperative, and huge tracts of fallow

summer. Another change is that farmers

or November. Then it dries up almost

land in the haor present an opportunity.

are now using kanda (elevated land)

completely, transforming into a land-

T h e R e l i a n t Wo m e n D e v e l o p m e n t

which for the last twenty or thirty years

based ecosystem for the rest of the year.

Organization, with support from Oxfam

had remained uncultivated as necessary

Life in the haor, then, changes and its

Hong Kong and the Center for Natural

technology was not available and the

resources change too.

Studies, has taken the initiative to assist

land was not considered arable.

farmers to ‘shop’ for a broader and Yet, the people living in the haor are

suitable range of crops to grow, as a

In the last dry season, farmers cultivated

some of the most impoverished in the

way to diversify, and as a way to protect

new crops such as wheat, mustard,

county. Their livelihoods depend on

themselves against hunger and climate

ground nuts, potatoes and more; they

fishing and on boro rice, which grows

change.

harvested satisfactory yields from all

in winter. People from all social classes

these crops, and RWDO helped to link

cultivate the rice, with landless and

The steps of this crop ‘shopping’ and

them with buyers so they would get

marginal farmers tending to grow it on

diversification work follow this sequence:

good prices for their crops. Farmers were

‘shared-in land’, which belongs to people

1) participatory study and crop/variety

not familiar with these crops before this

who do not farm and so give permission

selection; 2) capacity building activities

initiative, but are now very confident.

for others to use their land.

with selected farmers, including

Their confidence, and the proven

te chnol ogical skills in agriculture;

benefits, are inspiring more people to

A recent phenomenon is flashfloods,

3) establishing demonstration plots

shop for the ‘right’ crops: to diversify

which pose a major threat to people’s

with farmers and the community;

their crops, their food sources, and their

already precarious livelihood. With

4) knowledge sharing about farming in

income.

climate change, the floods have been

the haor; 5) extension to the community,

coming earlier than usual, damaging the

including learning sharing days; and

crop just before harvest. Being a mono-

6) developing market linkages.

M.D. Ferdous Alam is the Field Coordinator of the Reliant Women Development Organization, a partner organisation of Oxfam Hong Kong since 2007. The NGO is based in Sylhet, Bangladesh.

O.N.E December 2O1O

10

At first, our group had no idea about

good about being able to communicate

which part of trade we should be

with a wide range of people.

concerned about. As time went on, and we read more and more about the

Several people asked the same question:

Hello everyone! In October, a group of us

issue, we found that the unfairly treated

“What can I do for the workers?” Here

took to the streets of Mongkok in Hong

workers in garment factories touched us

comes my own answer. Before joining

Kong to raise awareness about the life of

the most, so we decided to take action

Oxfam Club, I wasn't a person who was

workers. We are members of the Trade

for them. These workers often have bad

concerned about workers even though I

Group which was set up to focus on the

working conditions, like working long

had read about some of the issues in my

problems of trade and poverty. I would

hours with low pay, and sometimes they

Liberal Studies class. But now, I keep my

like to take this chance to reflect on how

may be exploited, abused or physically

eyes on the news. I email companies to

I feel about that action.

injured or mistreated. Yet, it seems that

tell them that I want ethical products.

too few people in Hong Kong know that

Everyone can have a different solution,

It all started a few months ago, in July,

some of the products we use are made

and I choose these that suit me most.

when we went to Indonesia and stayed

under these conditions. The objective of

with home-based workers, met farmers,

our action is to tell people they have the

In the journey of planning our action,

and talked with NGO workers for 11 days.

right to know about workers’ conditions

searching for information, and practicing

My host family makes badminton rackets

and that they have the responsibility

it, it was not an easy job for us. We went

for a living. They work day and night but

to do what they can to improve the

through many hard times. The thing that

earn a very low income. The experience

situation.

encouraged us to keep taking action is that we do want to make some changes

of living with them taught me that even though people are hard-working, they

The form of action was song and

against the injustice in the world. Before,

may not be able to escape from poverty.

conversation. We simply talked with

I was a teenage girl who did not care

This ran against the mainstream belief in

people passing by and sang them songs.

much about what happened around her.

Hong Kong that good, honest work can

It seemed that people reacted best to

Now, through this action, I have been

solve any problem – it might be seen as

song, especially to ‘Consumption Behind’,

inspired. I know that there are many

the 'Hong Kong Spirit' or ‘the American

which is about workers and their rights.

things that deserve our care, once we

dream’. If work cannot save them from

We also placed some posters around the

use our heart to feel them. The world

being poor, then what can they do? I

area so people could learn more about

is so big, so wide, and knowing what

want to do something to change this, so

work conditions. I'm very glad that many

is happening in it is important. I have

I chose to join the trade group.

people stopped and talked. They listened.

learned a good lesson from this action,

They read. Some people said, “Good job

and I hope that you can get something

girls!” while some said, “I don't agree

from reading this too. Thank you for

with you.” Some responses were kind,

hearing me.

some were unkind, but overall, we felt Bowie Chan, 16, is a member of Oxfam Club, an annual youth education programme set up by Oxfam Hong Kong in 1997.

Oxfam Club members with workers in Indonesia / Photo: Law Fong Chun

Oxfam Club members 2010 / Photo: Law Fong Chun

Street theatre in which Oxfam Club members acted as workers and consumers / Photo: Shi Dongming

O.N.E December 2O1O

11

of Oxfam, “With the help I would s on my farm.

I have more pig all house like to build a sm ” ith the income. for my family w

A NEW GIFT FROM OXFAM: LITTLE BLACK PIGS

-Hastamaya

Thada, farme

r, Nepal

The little black pig is new at www.oxfamunwrapped.org.hk, and it looks like it will be a bestseller.

The animal holds sweet memories, or maybe bittersweet.

Do you remember your days at kindergarten when teachers would stamp a little pig on your homework if you were a bit sloppy and a rabbit if you were neat? Yet, it is the pig that represents a livelihood for millions of farmers around the world. And in Nepal, it is the black pig.

At Oxfam Unwrapped, the real pig goes to a poor community that needs it, while you get the satisfaction of giving, and the person in whose name you have made the donation also shares the joy. Oxfam provides a card with a personalised message for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Lunar New Year or any other special day. Do we need a reason to give, to share?

Since 2006, Oxfam Unwrapped has offered a collection of extraordinary gift ideas – 37 to date.

You can choose from a school, a goat, seeds, a little black pig and many more.

9

N ew PartnerOrganisations

Every day, Oxfam Hong Kong works alongside hundreds of groups around the world, from small NGOs to international bodies, from

CHINA VOICES Speak Out Against Poverty in Mainland China

government departments of developing countries

Ox fam Hong Kong

to community groups based in Hong Kong.

has launched a book of

Here are 9 ‘partner organisations’ that we are

stories and photographs

supporting for the first time, all in China.

BEIJING

• Global Environmental Institution

GANSU

• Tianshui Wushan District Education Sport Bureau

• Consultancy team affiliated with Hezhou Renmin Hospital

that features the views and accounts of people whom oxfam has met in 23 years of anti-poverty work in Mainland China. The publication depicts the

GUANGDONG • Dongguan Hengli Youwei Legal Consultation Service GUANGXI

• Loving Heart Association of Chinese People's Consultative Conference, Baise city • Poverty Alleviation Office of Lingyun County, Guangxi Province

SHANDONG

• You and Me (A social service centre in Qingdao)

SICHUAN

• Poverty Alleviation Office of Beichuan County

YUNNAN

• Animal Husbandry and Veterinary station of Luquan Yi and Miao Autonomous County

In this edition of O.N.E, we highlight the Poverty Alleviation Office of Beichuan County in Sichuan.

The new project with Oxfam Hong Kong is based in the village of Taihong, which is located in Beichuan, the county hardest hit by the earthquake of 12 May 2008. Infrastructure was

lives of farmers, women, migrantworkers, ethnic minorities and community workers in China’s impoverished rural areas.

Available at Swindon Books, Kubrick Book Stores, Relay, Dymocks, CUHK Press, Times Publishing, Hong Kong Readers, MCCM Creations, Xiyao Book Store and Oxfam’s online shop at www.oxfam.org.hk

O.N.E Oxfam News E-magazine is published every two months, at www.oxfam.org.hk/ONE. To receive a copy in your inbox, please subscribe – it is FREE. www.oxfam.org.hk/one/subscribe.html

destroyed, and farmland ruined.

The plan is to rebuild transportation and agricultural systems with the residents, including

O.N.E (Oxfam News E-magazine) is published every two months by

a road measuring 0.5 km, a reservoir and pigsties. The planting of walnut trees and other crops

Oxfam Hong Kong, 17th Floor, China United Centre, 28 Marble Road,

will also be initiated. The project is expected to last months, and already, the government unit

North Point, Hong Kong. The publisher does not necessarily endorse

is working actively and enthusiastically.

views expressed by contributors. For permission to reprint articles, please contact us; normally, we grant permission provided the source is clearly acknowledged. O.N.E is available free to all, in both an HTML and PDF version, and in Chinese and English.