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Activity 2

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How does Oxfam work with people to overcome poverty?

In a rural area in the north of Mali, West Africa, the seasonal rains have failed, causing crop failure and killing cattle. The Traore family are split up as the father, Moussa, travels to the capital city Bamako in search of work. No-one has heard from him for a few months, and food is becoming increasingly more scarce. Rokia is desperately working the land to try to save the crops, and get something from the very little rain, to no avail.

Oxfam and other aid agencies are now in the area, and work together with local communities to see what is needed. After talking with members of the community, the Traores are identified as some of the people who need aid the most. 

To address the immediate need of hunger, what should Oxfam do?  (click on the choices to see what might happen)

  • Should Oxfam give the family food handouts to alleviate the immediate hunger?

    There is food in the area, but people can't earn enough money to buy it. If families like Rokia's are given food aid , there will be no source of income for local traders so they will stop coming to the area. Plus, if and when Oxfam leaves, the Traore family will be back to square one. Also, Rokia feels ashamed carrying food parcels - she wants to provide for her family. To make things worse, Rokia might not know how to cook the food that would be distributed. It would need to be pounded with a machine but she only has a traditional pounder. This would also be an expensive solution for Oxfam, because of the cost of fuel needed to transport the food.

  • Should Oxfam give the family cash handouts to buy food and other necessities?

    With cash, Rokia can buy the food that her family need, as well as other necessities like toiletries and school clothes. Oxfam would need to tell nearby traders that cash has been given out in this community, so that the traders make the effort to go there. This cash handout would really help - for now. However, Rokia would still be unable to make her land fertile enough to support her family.

  • Should Oxfam employ Rokia in her community, giving her “cash for work”?

    Oxfam has learnt about various irrigation techniques from their work in other parts of West Africa. This would be shared with Rokia and her community, and using these new techniques they would be able to rejuvenate their land. In the meantime Rokia could be given cash for this work (for example, digging irrigation channels), and she would learn new skills. The end result would be that, when the rains eventually do come, they will be better equipped to store it and deal with periods of drought - ultimately securing ongoing income for her children's food and schooling. This would be fine as long as Rokia stays fit and healthy enough to do the work, otherwise her children would do the work instead and never return to school.