Indonesia
In Indonesia, Oxfam's focus is on women's rights, overcoming poverty and injustice, and helping people prepare for, and respond to, emergencies.
Dealing with disasters
Lying on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire', Indonesia faces a range of natural hazards including earthquakes, tropical flooding, and drought. Past experience shows the challenges and need to provide effective emergency relief, and reduce the risks and vulerability of people to future disasters.
- In 2009 more than 1 million people were affected by two major earthquakes in West Sumatra and West Java
How Oxfam is helping
Oxfam works with civil society and local and national government to ensure that Indonesians, in particular the poorest and most vulnerable families, are better able to cope with situations ranging from economic and related shocks to natural disasters and the negative impacts of climate change.
We also make sure that preparedness measures are in place in order to react quickly to emergency situations that can arise anytime in Indonesia.
The floods took all my belongings, I had nothing left apart from what I was wearing. The hygiene kits [Oxfam gave us] are important because they could help prevent potential health hazards.
Linda Arini, flood survivor, Jakarta
Learn more
Read more examples of our work in Indonesia:
ECHO (Humanitarian Aid Department of the European Commission) is a funding partner of Oxfam in Indonesia
Going organic
Many farmers in Indonesia rely on the help of chemical fertilisers to make a living from the land. Yet these can often prove expensive, and in many cases, bad for farmers' health.
How Oxfam is helping
We work with farmers to promote special organic farming methods that are less expensive to use, and produce greater yields. Oxfam also gives marketing advice so that farmers can earn the best possible price for their produce.
The quality is much better [now], and we can get a better price.
Ginem, rice farmer
Other development work
- Focusing on gender equality
- Helping shape government policies in favour of poor people and minorities
Calling for fairer pay and conditions
Some 12 million people work in Indonesia's export-centred manufacturing industry. Yet unfair working conditions makes life for these unskilled workers particularly hard.
- 44 per cent of daily casual workers are paid below minimum wage
- Women's wages are only around 68 per cent of those of male workers
Generally speaking, employers are looking to employ female workers – not because we are considered to be qualified, but because our wages tend to be lower.
Female garment worker, Jakarta
Oxfam believes that trade has the potential to reduce poverty. Yet current practices mean it is widening the gap between rich and poor, and men and women.
How Oxfam is helping
We support and strengthen civil society organisations to challenge unfair working conditions in Indonesia. We continue to urge multinational labour corporations to respect labour rights.
Want to help? Add your voice to the call for fairer trade rules
Learn more
Sumatra earthquake
A 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Wednesday 30 September.
Java earthquake
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Indonesian island of Java on Wednesday 2 September.
Tsunami crisis
The tsunami that swept across the Indian Ocean on 26 December 2004 caused widespread devastation across parts of India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
- 127,000 Indonesians lost their lives
- 93,000 were left missing and nearly 441,000 displaced
- Nearly $5 billion worth of property destroyed
How Oxfam is helping
Oxfam carried out a four-year response to help the worst-affected people rebuild their lives.
[Thanks to Oxfam], I'm back on my feet, working in the factory and earning more than before.
Zurinah, Lambateung
