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Oxfam is a charity that fights poverty by running aid and development programs and campaigning for economic fairness.
Oxfam is one of the world's best-known anti-poverty organizations. It runs long-term development projects, responds to emergencies like wars and natural disasters, and campaigns to change the rules and systems that keep people poor. It is a confederation of independent charities that work together under one name, with its main base in the United Kingdom.
The money side is different from a normal business. Oxfam does not sell products to make a profit for owners. It is funded by donations from the public, grants from governments and institutions, and the income from its famous charity shops, where people donate clothes and goods that Oxfam resells. That cash pays for aid programs, staff, and campaigns. Its shops are a big part of how the public knows it: you drop off old clothes, and the sale funds poverty work. A large share of its work is emergency response — getting clean water, shelter, and sanitation to people caught in crises, from earthquakes to conflict zones. Alongside that, it pushes for economic fairness: fairer tax rules, better pay and conditions for workers, and policies that help poorer countries. It is known for hard-hitting public campaigns and reports, which sometimes put it at odds with governments and big companies.
Oxfam has also faced serious criticism and scandal, most notably a 2018 report that some staff behaved badly during an aid mission after the Haiti earthquake. The fallout damaged its reputation and led to reforms and tighter safeguarding rules. So this is an organization driven by donations and public trust, where a scandal can hurt the very thing it depends on: people believing in it enough to give.
Saved answer · last researched 15 Nov 2026