Russia

Fighting urban poverty

The economic crisis in the early 90’s drastically widened the gap between rich and poor people. Many industries collapsed, and Russia’s small and medium sized towns were particularly hard hit. Many young people migrated in search of work but those that stayed faced an uphill battle in starting a business due to heavy bureaucracy.

Today, small businesses are vital to reducing poverty but the lack of start of start-up capital, and difficulty in securing loans prevents many people from making a decent living.

How Oxfam is helping

Oxfam and its partners are helping to strengthen micro-finance services and bring about new economic opportunities to help reduce urban poverty.

Youth Business Russia, supported by Oxfam, helps young entrepreneurs to kick-start their own small enterprises. The organisation, a member of Youth Business International, offers a simple loan scheme without the bureaucracy of borrowing money from banks, provides ongoing support including training and mentoring from other local business leaders, and has supported the creation of more than 200 new jobs.

Oxfam's other work in Russia

• Helping Russia live up to its global role
  Russia, as a member of the G8, the G20 and as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, also has a global role to play in addressing poverty and what it says and does affects millions of poor people in the developing world in many of the countries where Oxfam is also present.
• Working with local municipalities and governments to create a positive environment for small businesses
• Supporting the development of national civil society organisations
• Raising awareness about climate change and its impact on poor people in Russia and beyond
• Campaigning both locally and internationally, with a coalition of other Russian organisations, for an end to poverty worldwide

Oxfam's work in Russia in depth