Watch your telly tonight at 7.58 pm The Make Poverty History 'Click' ad is going to be shown on telly for the first time tonight, on all commercial channels. The ad uses celebs like Kylie, Bob Geldof and Kate Moss (pictured), and Brad Pitt (not pictured - sorry girls), who click their fingers every 3 seconds. Each click symbolises the death of a child. Across the developing world, one child dies every three seconds from extreme poverty. If you can't get to your telly, go to the Make Poverty History website from 8.00 pm to watch the clip. More about Make Poverty History here >> Get your Make Poverty History white band here >> posted at 12:51 PM | Permalink 1 comments

The Guardian says we're "uber-cool!" He he - just been reading The Guardian with a cup of tea (busy times at GY HQ) and noticed that they've called this very site "über-cool"! Who would've thought it, eh? Mind you, when The Guardian calls you "cool", you can pretty much guarantee you're not, so we won't be getting carried away just yet. Interesting read, though - if you like that kind of thing. Read the article here >> posted at 4:08 PM | Permalink 1 comments

Jamelia, Razorlight and Keane... An unlikely musical trio, you might agree - but they have one thing in common: they've lent their support to campaigns such as Make Trade Fair and Make Poverty History. Razorlight started things off when they appeared at the Make Trade Fair gig back in September 2004, that also played host to pop starlet Jamelia, REM and (of course) Chris Martin. Then Jamelia sang a beautiful rendition of 'Stop' to 22,000 enthusiastic campaigners at the Make Poverty History launch in February this year. And, if you've been listening carefully, you may have heard Keane's version of 'What a Wonderful World' on Red Nose Day a few weeks back - a song you can still download on the Make Poverty History website. We salute you all, lovely musical types! More music artists who have backed our campaigns >> posted at 9:07 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Indonesia earthquake - Oxfam is there Latest news: hundreds of people are believed to have died after a massive earthquake off the western coast of Sumatra measuring 8.7 on the Richter Scale. Oxfam's international rapid response assessment team have already flown from Banda Aceh to the island of Nias, which was worst affected. Alessandra Boas, a member of the assessment team, said: "The devastation is obvious as soon as you land. Many of the houses here have collapsed, but it's still too early for us to get a sense of the full scale of this. We're now on our way to the people made homeless by the quake to assess what their most urgent needs are and how we can help." The Oxfam team includes an engineer and an emergency response specialist. Go here for updates >> posted at 9:56 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Wychwood Music Festival tickets on sale Tickets for the unique, new Wychwood Music Festival 2005 are now on sale (and if you buy them through the main Oxfam website, Oxfam gets £5.90 per weekend ticket). If you don't know, Wychwood is a world roots and contemporary music festival held between 3 and 5 June, at Cheltenham Racecourse. As the blurb on their site puts it: 'Blurring the boundaries between music styles, a cornucopia of music, art and entertainment for all ages that will be raising money for Oxfam'. There will be hundreds of acts from all over the world, including Steve Earle, Alabama 3 and The Earlies (who are GREAT). Oxfam will be collaborating with the Wychwood Festival to promote common goals towards overcoming poverty and suffering. More information here >> posted at 11:28 AM | Permalink 0 comments

It's a question of sex... When it comes to awareness of gender discrimination, are you up there with Germaine Greer, or down the strip club with Peter Stringfellow? Gender awareness forms an important part of all Oxfam's programmes, because gender discrimination exacerbates the poverty of women worldwide. Some of the facts involved are pretty staggering, and make you realise just how serious the situation is. Find out how clued up you are by tackling our new gender quiz. Go to the quiz >> posted at 1:38 PM | Permalink 1 comments

A night of sweet Friction This Friday (25 March) sees the launch of Friction - a new kind of 'conscious' club night - at Cargo in Shoreditch, London. It's the brainchild of Radio 1's Bobby Friction, who is headlining, plus there'll be a semi-acoustic set from Nitin Sawhney and live music from Sona Family. The focus of the first night will be the Make Poverty History campaign - so get your dancing shoes on, get down there and shake some booty for a good cause. Trust us, you'll feel much better in the morning... More info here >> posted at 1:27 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Big Noise Music Easter giveaway! BIG news of a BIG Easter offer from BIG Noise Music (the fabulous Oxfam music download website). If you buy £25 worth of music over the Easter weekend you'll get another £25 extra credit free! So you can download tunes and fight poverty at the same time - 10p in every £1 spent goes to Oxfam. So, help to make poverty history - go online between Thursday 24 and Tuesday 29 March and download your favourite songs. Go to the Big Noise Music website >> posted at 11:00 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Village of Hope You might have heard of this project, since it's been in the media a lot since Christmas. It's a joint initiative between Oxfam and the Daily Mirror, designed to provide long-term aid to the Rwandan village of Nyamikamba ('the village of hope'). It's a brilliant concept, because donors get to see exactly how their money is spent by the villagers, and learn about the personalities and struggles of each of the community members. Tragically, one of the women in the village has just died in childbirth: a fate shared by one in ten expectant mothers in Rwanda. Read more about the lives of the villagers on oxfam.org.uk >> Read about the Village of Hope in the Daily Mirror >> posted at 11:28 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Wristbands: silly fashion accessory or symbol of support? Charity wristbands of every colour are everywhere you look these days - there's our beloved white Make Poverty History band, of course, but there are dozens of others promoting every cause from Anti-Bullying to Water Aid, and from Jesus Loves You to Support Our Troops (!). To help you make sense of it all, we've put together the definitive guide to the wristband and we've got a poll to gauge your thoughts. Are they a must-have fashion item, or just a naff bit of plastic? Everything you need to know about charity wristbands >> Oh, and while you're here - tell us what wristbands mean to you. How many have you got on your arm today? Enter your comments to the Blog below... posted at 4:46 PM | Permalink 8 comments

Fill in our two-minute survey and you could win a t-shirt! MORNING! Well, just about anyway. If you're feeling anything like us at GenerationWhy today, you're wishing that the weekend was still here (or that you just stayed in bed this morning). But anyway! Time to hit the coffee and get on with things. And what better way to ease into the day than to fill in our ever-so-quick two-minute survey, and put yourself in with a chance of winning one of our mighty fine t-shirts. Go on, you know it'll be better than real work. And you'll be helping us make this site even better, too. Fill in the survey >> posted at 11:51 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Download tunes and donate to Oxfam! Just a big-big-big-up to our great music-downloads website, Big Noise Music. It's got over 300,000 tunes but the big difference is that for EVERY £1 you spend, 10p goes to Oxfam! How cool is that? Current recommended downloads include 'Dakota' by Stereophonics and 'Galvanise' by the Chemical Brothers. Our web designer took off a link to McFly, which has outraged sections of GenerationWhy HQ (we've got some not-so-closet McFly fans it seems). Anyway, what are you waiting for? More about Big Noise Music here >> posted at 1:25 PM | Permalink 1 comments

Remember our t-shirt competition! Send us a photo of you wearing one of our great t-shirts and you could win... another one of our great t-shirts! We'll select a winner from all the photos we receive, and post a selection of the best ones. So send in your photos NOW! More info here >> posted at 12:55 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Jack Straw backs the Arms Trade Treaty Some really positive news today: Jack Straw, the UK Foreign Secretary, confirmed the UK government's commitment to work for an international Arms Trade Treaty. This is great news for the Control Arms campaign, which wants the government to use its position as president of the G8 this July, to get an international treaty on the political agenda. As Simon Gray, Oxfam's Conflict Campaign Manager said: 'Today could be a turning point for millions of people who live in fear of armed violence. The UK, the second largest exporter of weapons, is setting a great example... Governments across the world must follow this lead. An international consensus is vital to keep weapons out of the wrong hands and protect people from armed violence.' Find out more on the Control Arms website >> posted at 2:20 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Sign up for e-Xtra e-Xtra is our monthly e-newsletter which we send to all the people who have registered through the site, and signed up at festvals and gigs and the like. It's packed with all the campaign news and actions, plus exclusive competitions, free tickets and what we've got in store for the next month. It's in a rather tasty HTML format (which means it has nice pics and stuff) - though don't worry, if your e-mail browser doesn't like HTML it'll come through as text only. So, if you fancy receiving the latest GenerationWhy and Oxfam news, it'll only take five seconds to sign up. Go on, you know it makes sense. More about e-Xtra here >> posted at 8:59 AM | Permalink 0 comments

What are you doing for RND 2005? It's here again - the day of red noses, singing celebrities and stupid hair. We at GenerationWhy HQ can't get enough of Fame Academy this week (though of course the girls are upset that wee Reggie went last night). The boys have got a soft spot for Edith, though who can stop Adrian eh? That's the question on everybody's lips. But I digress. The main point of all this sillyness is to raise money for projects across the UK and Africa. There's loads of great stuff on the Red Nose Day website about what you can do to raise cash, and really good info about where the money goes. And, of course, there are some silly games, such as Lenny's 'get your nits out' and a weird red nose racing game. All good stuff. Personally, I can't wait for tonight. Loads of great telly including Little Little Britain and, of course, the final of Fame Academy. Go on Edith! More about Red Nose Day here >> So, what are you doing for Red Nose Day? Are you dressing up? Making cakes? Ridiculing your best mate/boss? Doing something surreal? And who do you want to win Fame Academy? Let us know below... posted at 9:48 AM | Permalink 1 comments

More great stuff online (and another badger) A late afternoon post - sorry for the sporadic nature of some of these posts lately. So, what's new on GenerationWhy? Well, some of us are off to the Make Poverty History night at Herbal in Shoreditch tonight, with a set from the rather special State of Bengal. It's the place to be seen in London town tonight - coverage in The Guardian, DJ magazine and Time Out, no less. I wish I could be there, but we'll have pics and a review up as soon as possible. And of course, it's all to raise awareness about the Make Poverty History campaign - if you haven't already done so, get your filthy paws on a white wristband to support it. What else is there? Well, we've collected some stories of Oxfam's amazing work in Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu following the tsunami. These short snippets really show where the money is being spent, and how much it's appreciated by the people affected by the tsunami. Have a look on the main Oxfam site for more stories and information from the region... And there's loads of other stuff to browse through - you can let us know what you think about the forthcoming general election on our vote section. Are you going to use your vote, or do you think it's a waste of time? We've also got info about the forthcoming club night supporting Oxfam run by Radio 1's Bobby Friction - it's on Friday 25 March, so put the date in your diary. You might also have noticed the 'killer facts' we've dotted about the place - to provide a bit of food for thought as much as anything. We hope you like 'em. Phew, well be sure to tell us if there are any events you'd like us to publicise or review, and we'll do our best to help. In the meantime, let us know what you think of the site - leave your comments below or e-mail us at generationwhy@oxfam.org.uk. posted at 5:43 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Meet inspirational people working to challenge poverty 'Oxfam Live' is a series of local events run by Oxfam which give you the chance to meet some really inspirational people - from Oxfam programme staff to directors - who are all working to help the world's poorest people. Through presentations, personal stories and lively discussions, you'll get an insight into what we're doing across the world at the moment, and get a preview of Oxfam's ideas for the future. You'll also have the chance to meet Oxfam supporters in your area... More info here >> Find your nearest Oxfam Live >> posted at 3:40 PM | Permalink 0 comments

New report shows women under fire A new report called 'The Impact of Gun's on Women's Lives' states that women are paying an increasingly heavy price for slack gun regulations across the world. It contains some pretty frightening statistics, and calls for sweeping changes to international law. Among these is the establishment of a global Arms Trade Treaty, that would prohibit arms exports to countries with questionable human rights records. Read more about the report here >> posted at 9:32 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Fairtrade fun-run in Cardiff Just to let you know - this Sunday Cardiff residents (and Oxfam supporters) will take part in a sponsored 5km run across the city. The money raised will benefit fair trade workers in the area affected by the tsunami, who are more reliant than ever on the guaranteed income that the Fairtrade Mark provides. If you're there, you'll be able to spot the Oxfam runners, as they'll be tarted up in tartan. If you've ever run in a kilt on a cold late-winter day, maybe you'll appreciate what they're putting themselves through. As well as generating money, the run will also help to raise awareness of what fair trade means. It all kicks off in Bute Park, Cardiff on 13 March at 11.00 am. So go along and give 'em a wave. Inspired? Then why not do something too >> posted at 3:34 PM | Permalink 1 comments

Fame Academy or the general election? Depressing fact of the day: more 18 to 24 year-olds claim to have voted in reality TV shows than intend to vote in a May general election. Well, at least according to a YouGov poll published by The Daily Telegraph today. But don't despair - this isn't the same tired cliché of 'youth apathy'. In the same poll a large majority of young people said that, though party politics leaves them cold, they are interested in how leaders handle issues such as war and poverty. Approximately two-thirds expressed concern about the prospect of wars like the one in Iraq, and about the environment and global warming. And, to confirm that young people are concerned about the world at large, none other than yours truly (Oxfam!) was joint-top of a list of 'heroes', with our own hero Nelson Mandela coming in second. Find out why your vote is important here >> So, what do you think? Are you going to vote in the next election? Do you care more about Kim Metcalfe than Gordon Brown? How should our politicians engage with us? Leave your comments below... posted at 2:20 PM | Permalink 2 comments

AIDS in Africa: a crisis out of control? According to a new UN report, 89 million more Africans could be infected by the HIV virus in the next 20 years if more isn't done to combat the epidemic. That would represent 10 per cent of the entire African population. The UN says that $200 billion of investment is needed to stop AIDS bringing Africa to its knees. Oxfam already incorporates action on HIV/AIDS into all its development programmes (read more here), but is the world at large doing enough? posted at 10:18 AM | Permalink

REM gigs: success! REM did three fab gigs at the end of February as part of their world tour, and Oxfam were there getting people to sign the Big Noise petition calling for fairer global trade. Over 2,000 people put their names on the dotted line, which is fantastic. What's more, REM invited us back to campaign at their six gigs across the UK in June and July, when they return from their globetrotting shenanigans. Result! More info about the tour here >> posted at 11:00 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Add comments to our Blog! Just a quickie - you can now add your own comments to our Blog. So, if you want to give us feedback, add your own views about an event or even add details of your own events, just follow the links on the Blog entries. You could also let us know what you think about our dubious badger obsession. Have a look at the whole Blog >> posted at 10:28 AM | Permalink 6 comments

Oxfam shops hit campus If you're a student at Leeds, Staffordshire or Sheffield, you may have noticed a rather splendid Oxfam shop on your campus, selling books, CDs and nice clobber. These are the first of Oxfam's campus shops, and more are planned for Liverpool, Nottingham, Durham and beyond. They're run by student volunteers and collect all the nice stuff that students need, but at decent prices. They also sell our t-shirts, postcards and Fairtrade food and drink. Not bad, eh? Find out more here >> posted at 10:12 AM | Permalink 4 comments

Crisis in Asia DJ pics Just put up some wicked photos of the Crisis in Asia DJ night - from the week before the bands night (you know, the one with Massive Attack and Portishead). There's the old drum'n'bass legend Roni Size, as well as pics of Babyhead and James Lavelle (I think!). Great night, great pics - including some of our beautiful Oxfam volunteers selling white bands and t-shirts to dear Roni. More here >> posted at 5:36 PM | Permalink 1 comments

More Fairtrade Fortnight gubbins! To celebrate Fairtrade fortnight we've put together some great tips on how you can achieve Fairtrade status for your university. As it says on the page, getting your uni to back Fairtrade is a massive step in getting Fairtrade recognised and supported throughout the UK. There's also a fairly nifty poll, to find out what you really think about Fairtrade. More info here >> posted at 9:48 AM | Permalink 2 comments

Ethical careers guide comp ending soon In case you didn't already know, we're giving away five copies of the brand new ethical careers guide JustWork, packed with features, interviews, case studies and career profiles. If you're thinking of a career in charities, international development or the public sector, then this could be just what you're after. Normally it will set you back £4.95 - but it's altogether cheaper to win one, which you can do by answering our competition question. Go to the question >> posted at 2:12 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Fairtrade Fortnight is here! For the next two weeks, everyone's going to be talking about fair trade, 'cos Fairtrade Fortnight has arrived. Bring on free tastings, clothes shows, events, speakers and markets - there's bound to be something going on near you. But did you know that it's young people who are the worst at recognising the Fairtrade Mark (only a third of us)? Or that 44 per cent of 25-34 year-olds have never bought a Fairtrade product? Time to tell your mates... More about Fairtrade Fortnight here >> posted at 9:58 AM | Permalink 2 comments