Oxfam International will lay off 1,450 of its staff and withdraw its physical presence in 18 countries due to the pandemic’s financial pressures.
Oxfam will remain with offices in 48 countries down from 66. While the organizations already had restructuring plans since 2018, economic turmoils have accelerated the changes. The pandemic has cancelled fundraising events and closed Oxfam’s stores. This is such a blow as fund raising accounts for almost 40% of its revenues. On the other hand, trading revenue contributed 16.8% of its revenue in 2018/2019.
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The changes will also affect 700 out of its 1900 partner organizations in the countries affected by the exit. However, changes will take effect over time as the organization will transition projects in the affected countries.
“We will have to work with those 700 local organizations, over time, in a responsible and orderly way, so they can find other funding sources and begin to take over fully the work we did together,” Devex quotes Oxfam spokesman, Matta Grainger.
In Africa, the organization will shut its offices in Mauritania, Liberia, Benin, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, Tanzania, and Egypt. It will also close its Dominican, Haiti, Thailand, Tajikistan, Paraguay, Cuba, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan.
