Oxfam – Give Something Special This Christmas

Stuck thinking of what you want for Christmas when you already have everything you need? Or needing to buy a last minute present for anyone? Oxfam Unwrapped allows you to purchase a range of gifts that benefit people in countries that may not have the luxury of food, shelter, healthcare or safety this Winter. You can make a difference from as little as £5, and sleep well in the knowledge that you have made someone’s Christmas.

For just £5, you can purchase a share in a farmyard for a family. All people who live in extreme poverty are reliant on subsistence farming, giving them this land will enable them greater food security. It allows them to rear chickens for eggs and grow their own crops. It is difficult for us to fathom, as we carelessly throw away £5 on frivolous products we never use, that this small amount of money will make such a huge difference to a family and community. 

Education is something we all take for granted, but in LDCs it is difficult for children to gain the training they need so they can help themselves and escape their poverty trap. In many schools you have dozens of children sharing a limited number of text books. For just £8, you can provide a child with stationary, equipment and their own books. As someone with a lot of respect for teaching, the thought that people help other children’s development is something that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Finally, for those of you who are feeling daring and want to help a large amount of people, why not try and get your family and friends involved. With the information gained from this blog post or the Oxfam website, why not spread the idea to your acquaintances and save enough to purchase water for 50 people – which surprisingly is only £50. This is the ultimate gift for those lacking in the basic necessities of life. It will have such a great impact as you are not simply giving a community short-term relief, it is a long-term fix to a huge problem. If everyone donated money towards this cause, it would prevent the dissemination of disease from unclean water and death from dehydration.

 

Do your good deed this year, you know you want to! Browse Oxfam Unwrapped presents here. For animal lovers why not purchase a poor family a goat or chicken? Or for the feminists among us, donating money towards helping empower women in inequitable society would be the perfect gift.