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.