Mission & Vision

Oxfam America is a global organization working to right the wrongs of poverty, hunger, and injustice. As one of 17 members of the international Oxfam confederation, we work with people in more than 90 countries to create lasting solutions. Oxfam saves lives, develops long-term solutions to poverty, and campaigns for social change.

Our vision: A just world without poverty.

Our mission: To create lasting solutions to poverty, hunger, and social injustice.

How do we fix the injustice of poverty?

Oxfam’s approach is about tackling the conditions that cause poverty in the first place, rather than the distribution of material goods. We start by asking questions and challenging assumptions. What are the root causes of poverty? What can we do to change the power dynamics that keep people poor? These questions inform the four categories into which our work falls:

• Saving lives: Oxfam assists the poorest communities when disaster strikes, but is also working to ensure greater local resilience and the capacity of local responders and governments to deliver disaster response.
• Programs to overcome poverty and injustice: Oxfam invests in programs to help people assert their rights so that they can improve their lives.
• Campaigning for social justice: Oxfam works to change the laws and practices that keep people trapped in poverty.
• Public education: As part of our efforts to overcome poverty, Oxfam works to change the way people think about poverty and its causes.