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Rwandese smallholder horticulture farmers worst hit by COVID-19

COVID-19 has disrupted the local, regional, and global supply chain flows. Due to limited shelf life, the horticulture supply chain was less adaptable to supply chain disruption. Trade and market opportunities were limited because the entire horticulture value chain got disrupted, the markets...

Bwambale Sokwere lived 4 metres away from the banks of River Kitakena

Climate Change: A crisis leading to millions of displaced people across the globe

Growing up in rural Uganda in Mpondwe village, Rwenzori subregion, I enjoyed swimming with my peers in Mpondwe river which flows from Mount Rwenzori. This was typical of village life. We would innocently dive in the deep water, oblivious of the risks and swim, forgetting any other chores we had for...

Mahamud, a pastoralist living in the Somali region of Ethiopia. Photo by Kieran Doherty / Oxfam

Is the impact of climate change on livelihoods a non-emergency?

For the entire history of farmers in most African countries, predictable weather has always been the cornerstone for food security. The rains are often expected at select periods. Based on the period, subsistence farmers, till, plough, and plant which results in a predictable harvest. This pattern...

Doreen Muthoni, 38, a small scale trader and her daughter Ruth*, 7. Photo by Katie G. Nelson/Oxfam

COVID-19 measures in Uganda are pushing women out of the workforce

International Women’s Day is marked on 8 March. The day is celebrated across the world to recognise milestones made towards women empowerment and equality. While there is a lot to celebrate across the globe, this year’s commemoration also coincides with a major threat to the gains of women — the...

Congolese Civil Society Call for Access to Justice and Reparations for Survivors of Gender-Based Sexual Violence

Over three years, Oxfam in DRC has worked to support advocacy by a network of civil society organizations to end impunity for sexual violence. The network is led by Solidarité Féminines pour la Paix et le Développement Intégral-SOFEPADI (Feminine Solidarity for Peace and Integral Development) and...

Resilience of small-scale farmers and businesses tested during COVID-19

Uncertainty and a great test of resilience I have worked with Oxfam for the last eight years managing the economic empowerment and resilient livelihood program. During these years, never have I experienced firsthand what it truly means for your resilience to be tested, until recently during the...

Is citizen apathy societal degradation?

Lelei is employed and living a decent life in Ruaka, Kiambu County in Kenya, which is only a spitting distance from Nairobi. He woke up with a cough and a high fever. It was clear to him that these were symptoms for COVID-19. He gathered his strength and went to a health facility. He was confident...

Catherine Nabulon Abulon, Oxfam’s beneficiary from Turkana, Kenya. Photo by Joy Obuya/Oxfam

Debt servicing or COVID-19 response? an impossible choice for developing countries

15th April 2020 was to be a special day for most African countries. On this day, the World Bank’s Development Committee and the G20 Finance Ministers endorsed the Debt Service Suspension Initiative granting debt-service suspension in response to the pandemic. The day should have heralded a lifeline...

COVID 19 – A reminder why access to water is a human right

As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, countries, including Uganda, have adopted various measures to prevent its spread. The Ugandan Ministry of Health, in line with guidelines from the World Health Organization , has promoted regular handwashing with water and soap as one of the...

Flood affected communities in Rwanda need massive social safety nets

Since November 2019, floods and landslides from heavy rains have been affecting Rwanda’s Northern, Western and Southern provinces. As of early May 2020, floods caused 72 fatalities across the country, around 91 houses were destroyed and various crops were washed away. The most affected districts by...

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