Oxfam in Belgium

History

In the context of the Decolonization, the organization with for first object assistance with the independent countries of the south nouvellements. The dryness of 1964 confronts Oxfam-Belgium with the first emergency, food aid is sent in India, with the Burundi with the Congo-Kinshasa (DRC) and with the Nicaragua.

Starting from 1968, Oxfam starts to be made known Belgian population. The first harvests of clothing take place. They will be followed later by the opening of the first stores of second hand intended for the harvest of funds.

In 1970, following a cyclone with the Peru, one place first implications of ground of assistances to the victims in collaboration with organizations partners. Beyond the actions of emergency aid, Oxfam initiates with the support of the Belgian authorities, the first projects of collaboration to the development with communities of the south. The organization Oxfam-Projects is created for the examination and the management of the projects and the teams of co-operators.

In Belgium, Oxfam-Belgium work with the sensitizing of the public and takes part, under the impulse of its general secretary Pierre Galand with various actions and demonstrations, fight against the Apartheid, mobilization in answer to the crisis of the the Sahel, opposition to the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belgium, etc…

“Giftshops” propose with the sale the clothing, pieces of furniture and various objects offered by private individuals. The idea of Equitable trade born as of the beginning of the Years 1970 with creation in 1971 of a first store pioneer, the wereldwinkel (store of the world) of Antwerp, becomes extensive with creation in 1975, of the Dutch-speaking organization Oxfam-Wereldwinkels and the following year of its French-speaking equivalent, Oxfam-Stores of the World.

Since its creation, Oxfam-Belgium intervened in many major humanitarian crises, of which famines, earthquake, the Ouragan Mitch and the Génocide in Rwanda. Since the end of the Years 1970, it takes part with other organizations in the Belgian Consortium for the emergencies. Its principal action, remains however centered on development projects durable.

Oxfam in Belgium today

Name Oxfam in Belgium , indicates today the platform of collaboration between the three Belgian Oxfam organizations:

Oxfam Solidarity, bilingual organization born in 1996 of the fusion of Oxfam-Belgium and Oxfam-Projects, and which perpetuates the actions of these two organizations.
Oxfam-Wereldwinkels, organization of Belgian equitable trade Dutch-speaking (more than 200 stores in Flemish Area)
Oxfam-Stores of the World, organization of Belgian equitable trade French-speaking (a hundred stores in Walloon region and of Brussels)

Oxfam in Belgium belongs to international Oxfam creates in 1995, which is a confederation of 12 organizations, which for more effectiveness approach in a collective way the world factors of poverty and which cooperate with 3000 tests divided in more than 100 countries.

See too

External bond

Oxfam in Belgium]

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