Working together to end poverty and injustice

Emergencies

When disaster strikes around the world, Oxfam and our partners move quickly to provide life-saving assistance to people in need. Then we stay for the long-term to rebuild lives and reduce the risk of future disasters.

Oxfam's rapid response emergency fund

Oxfam can only launch rapid responses to crisis and disasters around the world because we have funds ready. We still need funds to help us respond straight away to emergencies as they happen, and to continue our current work in 26 disasters worldwide.

• You can help: donate online now
• or call 0800 400 666 (24 hours)
• to make an automatic $20 donation call 0900 600 20

Haiti earthquake response

Thanks to the overwhelming support of the public, Oxfam has enough money to fund our response to the Haiti earthquake for the next three to five years.

Six months on, Oxfam has already helped over 420,000 people, providing clean water, sanitation, shelter, seeds and running cash for work programmes. We plan to reach over 600,000 people.

• Find out more on Oxfam's response to the Haiti earthquake

West Africa Food Crisis

Children sharing a meal of cooked bush leaves in Timbouloulag

Irregular rains have led to a severe lack of pasture, water and a poor harvest in West Africa. Almost 10 million people are facing a food crisis. Oxfam is distributing food and supplies to the poorest households, protecting livestock and buying weak livestock from herders at above market levels.

• Find out more on the West Africa Food Crisis
• Donate now to Oxfam's rapid response emergency fund

Samoa Tsunami

Rebuilding lives in rural Samoa. Photo: Jane Ussher/Oxfam

Oxfam was in Samoa immediately following the tsunami in September 2009, to help distribute emergency relief materials including food, water and clothing.

Six months on, we are working with local water authorities to make sure people have safe water and sanitation facilities. We're also helping to rebuild livelihoods in rural communities.

• Find out more on the Samoa tsunami response

Crisis in Darfur and Chad

The Darfur crisis remains one of the world's largest concentrations of human suffering. 2.5 million people have been forced to flee their homes, seeking refuge in vast, crowded camps in Darfur and across the border in Chad.

More than 4.5 million people have been affected by the conflict and depend on humanitarian assistance. Ongoing violence forces thousands more to flee every month. Yet aid workers in the region are finding it increasingly difficult and dangerous to reach the people in need.

• Donate online now to support people affected by conflict in Darfur and Chad
• Find out more on Oxfam's work in Darfur and Chad

Ongoing responses

Oxfam's work continues long after disaster strikes, including rebuilding livelihoods, conflict management and water and sanitation work.

• Find out more about the work we are doing around the world

Related links

• Donate to Oxfam's emergency work worldwide and help us to be where the need is greatest, within hours of disaster striking.
  Donate now to Oxfam's rapid response emergency fund
• AlertNet - humanitarian aid and disaster news at www.alertnet.org
• Emergencies pamphlet: Disasters and Emergencies Overseas: How you can help (PDF, 373 KB)