Emergency work :: Oxfam GB

Issues we work on: Climate change; Conflict and natural disasters; Health; Education; Debt and aid; Gender equality; The right to be heard; Global Food Crisis; Trade; Private sector

Where we work: Countries we work in

The impact of our work: In words and pictures; On video

Special features: History of Oxfam; Oxfam myths exposed; Take the Oxfam Quiz; Reshaping our world

Emergency response

Mozambique, March 2008: Oxfam equipment being airlifted on a Mercy Air helicopter. Credit: Matthias / Mercy Air

Imagine losing everything but your life. Would you cope? Around 30 million people are forced from their homes by conflict and natural disaster every year. Most have only what they can carry. Survival depends on getting help. Fast.

Oxfam is famous for helping people in crisis, providing vital things like clean water in temporary camps. Our teams are saving lives in more than 30 countries, right now.

What we do in emergencies

We specialise in a number of areas:

Watch the slideshow

The bigger picture – emergencies before and after

We respond to the crisis. What next?

Emergencies can leave people devastated. When the worst is over, we help people back onto their feet, giving them the support they need to rebuild their lives. Oxfam helps communities to become less vulnerable to future crises too, often through our long-term development work.

Can you stop an emergency before it starts?

We try. Oxfam campaigns and lobbies to prevent emergencies we can see coming, and stands up for the rights of those caught up in them. And we're often the first and loudest to call for more and better aid.