With the disasters occurred frequently in China, Oxfam targeted to the impoverished areas with less resources, especially the special needs of vulnerable groups such as women, elderly, persons with disability etc. who would be suffering the most from the disasters. Oxfam responds the needs swiftly through local partnership. Apart from the general needs found in the disaster-affected areas, Oxfam also pays attention to “Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion” (WASH) and Food Security and Livelihood assistance in post-disaster response. In 2014-2019, Oxfam responded to the disasters occurred in eight provinces including Guizhou, Gansu, Yunnan etc. with the programme cost of over 28 million Chinese Yuan in order to support more than 300,000 people.
To provide professional and effective humanitarian responses, preparedness work before the disaster occurring is essential. Oxfam stores preparedness stocks in the warehouses based at Guizhou, Gansu, Shaanxi and Yunnan provinces. Once the disaster occurs, Oxfam would quickly mobilize the common needed relief items from the warehouses. On the other hand, Oxfam also familiarizes the local suppliers of relief items and logistics which would enable the relief items procured and delivered more effectively. Moreover, humanitarian trainings and drills would be provided for Oxfam’s staffs and local partners in order to equip them the required skill and knowledge.
Oxfam not only determines to provide effective responses, but is also committed to enhance the capacities of the local organizations in humanitarian responses. Therefore, Oxfam organized humanitarian trainings for the local organizations especially for those based at the poor provinces with more disasters frequently occurred. The trainings introduced the relief procedures and notice points, international humanitarian standards (like Sphere Project – Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response), the programme experience on Cash Transfer Programming and WASH. In 2014-2019, the trainings were held for around 300 people from 180 organizations in 6 provinces. Oxfam has also actively promoted international humanitarian standards across China through Chinese translations, publications and organizing seminars etc. in order to promote quality and accountable responses among the local organizations in China which would benefit the affected populations at most with the appropriate assistance provided by them.