Campaigning for justice for the world's poor in Oxfordshire
The Oxford WDM summer social was a chance for the group to spend some time together without discussing too many serious issues – and sample the delicious pies available at the Victoria Arms on Walton Street. Members from all over Oxfordshire came to share a drink and a chat, and we even had two visitors from Australia.
If you have any ideas about where our next social should happen, or what it should involve, please get in touch on oxfordwdm@gmail.com.
The speaker at our July meeting was Helen Magombo, who advises Oxfam on development policy. She spoke chiefly about the impact of policy decisions on her home country of Malawi. Her view? “We need to get more sassy, more radical” on aid. We need to push harder to ensure that aid money goes to the right places.
Right now, said Helen, there are huge transparency issues around aid. A lot of money actually goes to UK-based companies, which means it never reaches the Malawian economy because it never leaves the UK economy. She is fighting for the proposed 0.7 % target, which would mean that 0.7% of the UK’s national income is spent in aid. But just as important as the amount itself is how much of it goes to the country being aided.
The 2010-2012 UK aid withdrawal had a huge negative impact on Malawi, said Helen. It happened because of a diplomatic spat, but the effects were devastating. (The UK is Malawi’s largest direct aid donor.)
One of the questions from the floor was “What do we [as Westerners trying to help] get wrong?” Helen suggested that groups like WDM in the UK need to connect more with similar groups in Africa and other countries. We shouldn’t assume that a poor country doesn’t have a thriving voluntary sector.
She also busted the myth that an aid-dependent country equals a country where people don’t work: “In Malawi, people are getting up from 3am trying to make a living.”
Helen now plans to return to Malawi and stand for election to parliament.
The Oxford WDM August meeting will be a summer social where we take a break from saving the world to enjoy drinks at the Victoria Arms in Jericho. All supporters of Oxford WDM are welcome – you don’t have to be a member. There has been some confusion over which Victoria Arms we mean – it’s the one on Walton Street! The pub is wheelchair accessible and serves a rather delightful range of pies. How could you possibly miss out?
We’ll have a stall at the Elder Stubbs festival on 17th August. This community event takes place in the beautiful setting of Elder Stubbs Allotments in East Oxford.
The World Picnic is a summer event with a global theme, involving music and food. It is held in the park in the centre of Milton Keynes on Sunday 28th July. Milton Keynes WDM group will have a stall there and they’re looking for volunteers. Would anyone from the Oxford group like to help? Volunteers won’t be stuck on the stall for the whole day; there will be time to wander around and check out the other stalls.
If you can make it, please email wdmmkgrp@gmail.com
Would you let an energy company ruin the area around your home town? Drill Baby Drill is the inspirational story of people in Poland and Pennsylvania standing up to the multinationals who want to use “fracking” (hydraulic drilling for shale gas) in their local areas.
Green MEP Keith Taylor is taking the film around South-East England and it comes to Oxford on Tuesday 16th July. Tickets are free, but space is limited so please book in advance.
The screening will be followed by a discussion on fracking, led by experts and activists. This event is not organised by WDM.
We’re part of Global Justice Now, a democratic membership organisation which campaigns against inequality and injustice in the global economy. We want to see a world where ordinary people control the resources they need to live a decent life, rather than corporations and the super rich calling the shots.