Comments on: Oxfam, my salary and me (2002)

By: Nani

Nani — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:54:05 +0000

I want truly thank you for this post. I am a young African myself graduating from college in 15 days and I am at that critical stage where by I need to make a choice of whether to enter the humanitarian career path or just go to law school and be a soccer mum worrying about my children in a small town.
Its tough out there and am ready for a rest. Law school here I come…

By: Henk Campher

Henk Campher — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:36:58 +0000

Very true. Oxfam is a great organization. The world will look a lot different if it wasn’t for them. We are blessed to have them. It was a mistake, a personal one, but not an indication of how they are in general. Great place to work otherwise. I enjoyed every moment of my time there – the good times and the tough times. Passionate people make for an interesting and challenging workplace. Wouldn’t want it any other way!

By: Mthandazo nkala

Mthandazo nkala — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 20:54:21 +0000

This shows someone failed to do his/her job hence e mistakes.otherwise oxfam is a good org.it must strive to be the best always.

By: Mikhail

Mikhail — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:02:11 +0000

Wow Dave…
Are you saying that because Oxfam helps people who are genuinely suffering they are free to break promises and treat their employees unfairly? Does good behavior balance out bad behavior? Can I deceive you and take advantage of you because I gave a homeless person some money? I disagree. To back out of a contract that was twice confirmed is low for any organization. I would have hoped that an organization that values charity, grace, and mercy, would also value honesty, integrity, and justice. AA is not complaining about about the weather or his housing situation, he is complaining about Oxfam’s deceit.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:46:48 +0000

Wow… you talk about double standards. I realise Oxfam made an error, and was hardly helpful in the solution, but considering you were trying to join a network that helps people who are genuinely suffering, homeless and dying, this is laughable. It’s a wonder you find time to help impoverished communities while you’re moaning about, Ooo, the chilly weather and the misery of having to relocate your house. You poor sod.
I’m thinking Oxfam has done a billion times more to help the world than you have. I’m sorry you were a little cold and paid to live under a roof – hold on… isn’t that the same for all of us blessed poeple? Let Oxfam use my money to help those without the luxury of a roof and go get yourself life.

By: Queen Nefertiti

Queen Nefertiti — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 04:59:47 +0000

You know, as flawed as Thabo Mbeki’s application of the African Renaissance notion to the issue of HIV/AIDS was…I still think the idea of the African Renaissance is worth keeping and turning into a reality. In a nutshell, we Africans need to start thinking of our own solutions to our problems and start implementing them. Change in human affairs never happens overnight. One protest march is not how African countries liberated themselves from colonialism. Our struggles for liberation were democratic exercises, and once liberation was achieved, it was not the end of that democratic struggle, but required a change in tactics and a change in vocabulary and armaments. It is a matter of scholarly record that the structural adjustment programs have actually created more damage than good in countries where they’ve been implemented. The ‘good governance’ agenda adopted by these same agencies that pushed structural adjustment, did not and does not assist in moving the issues of poverty and lack of capabilities in a positive direction in the ‘Third world’. Not even to mention that the ‘good governance’ agenda is ahistorical in that it fails to recognize that our liberation struggles were democratic in nature. Let’s just call ‘good governance’ what it is – good old-fashioned imperialism. Relying on ‘aid’ from organizations such as Oxfam isn’t going to do it for us either. From my perspective, it isn’t aid they’re provided, but a justified recompense for the still ongoing theft of not only African material resources, but of our history, our sense of who we are and where we’ve come from, what we’re capable of and ownership of our own life scripts. But we should also accept responsibility for the ongoing situation, because there are those among us who like to ‘play the game’ too, and despite being educated and priviledged, still complain, and rant and rave about being ‘oppressed’, while they seem to be sycophantically eternally grateful to the “Masters of the Universe” for letting them in to the glittering swirl of fancy global lunches, talkshops, conferences, and balls to talk more about the miseries of that quaintly named part of the world, the “Third World”. De-colonising the mind is a necessary step in fully liberating one’s self from the suffocating grip of imperialism. When you’ve got education, you are priviledged and have more responsibility to speak up for the inarticulate, to fight for the rights of the downtrodden, to inspire those who have lost their faith in humanity, and in notions of justice and fairness, and to do so with honesty, integrity and unfailing principled commitment. Naturally, the Oxfam’s of this world don’t share my view. Nevermind…it isn’t good enough to dispense ‘aid’ to the ‘Third World’ on your terms and still want to lay claim to having the moral high ground. This is an issue which must be negotiated and the terms agreed to as equal partners in the ongoing dialogue of what is needed, what resources will be given, how it will be used and where it will be used. Until this point is reached in mutual understanding of where the starting line is, we’ll just continue going round in circles, because the Oxfam’s of the world will not change their ‘rigged’ rules. There will come a time when things will change, it may not happen in my lifetime, but that’s not the point. I’m working on a more positive, equitable, dignified and acceptable future for my continent, Africa, and the world of which I’m a part…because the present conditions are unacceptable.

By: The spy who didn’t love me (2003) « Angry African on the Loose™

The spy who didn’t love me (2003) « Angry African on the Loose™ — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 21:40:40 +0000

[...] and I still had to try and keep the ship running on Access To Medicine. And I was continuing my fight against Oxfam for my salary! Too much to handle for a lazy guy from Africa who only joined Oxfam a year earlier – and saw his [...]

By: angryafrican

angryafrican — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:41:28 +0000

@Arun. Yep me to. I really respected the organization, and still do. But it again showed that the world is not black and white. Even the best have their fatal flaws.

By: Arun

Arun — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:42:57 +0000

It is very disappointing to hear this about Oxfam.

By: angryafrican

angryafrican — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:31:05 +0000

@ Vasco – You’re right. They are better than most. But still a bit rigged.

@ ilovemylife – They haven’t resolved it since 2002 so I won’t hold my breath. But what must come out must come out.

@ a broad – You are talking about that building hidden behind the little hill are you?