Oxfam Italia has launched a new campaign called "Let's Save Lives in Emergencies" to raise awareness of its work in war-torn countries such as Yemen, Syria, and now, Ukraine.
Every day, Oxfam reportedly responds to approximately 30 emergencies around the world, bringing clean water, food, shelter and first aid kits to war-torn countries like Yemen and Syria.
Just last year, Oxfam assisted 19.7 million people, the charity says.
Now, it is on the border with Ukraine to help fleeing people, especially women and children, by providing food, legal assistance and protection.
To ensure basic aid and clean water for as many people as possible, Oxfam Italia has launched the fundraising campaign "Let's Save Lives in Emergencies". Through April 9 donations can be made through SMS or landline calls to the number 45584.
Aid to Ukrainian refugees in Poland, Moldavia and Romania
"Oxfam continues to work in countries destroyed by years of war and violence, where we bring clean water and sanitation to the poorest and most vulnerable sections of the population," said Oxfam Italia President Emilia Romano.
"In recent days we have arrived in Poland, Moldavia and Romania, where there is a need for everything and where see first-hand the desperation of the refugees from Ukraine who lost everything in the span of a few hours."
With the funds raised with campaign, Oxfam wants to we want to help as many people as possible, especially families. Together with partners, it will also work to give homes to families arriving in Italy in reception centers, in order "to support a return to normal life, even if far from home," Romano said.
The forgotten wars: 10 million displaced from Yemen and Syria
In Yemen and Syria alone, nearly 10 million people are still fleeing war and its consequences.
In Yemen, where the war has been raging for seven years with no signs of slowing, over 80% of the population is reporteldy dependent on humanitarian aid, Oxfam says. Two out of three have no health service, and 18 million don't have access to clean water. The war has claimed over 18,500 civilian victims since 2015.
Syria has been at war for 11 years, with 90% of the population living under the poverty line and 15.5 million without access to clean water. Romano said the funds raised through the campaign will help Oxfam provide aid to over 130,000 people.
He said in addition to Yemen, Syria, and Ukraine, Oxfam is also working in Lebanon to support the occupation in Tripoli and the poorest rural cities in the country's north, where the pandemic has had a devastating effect, as well as Africa and Sri Lanka.
"We will expand our interventions to mitigate the impact of the Covid emergency and climate change in Africa," he said.
For example, in Malawi, Oxam wants to distribute health and hygiene kits and Covid-19 prevention materials; in Mozambique, the organization plans to restore a major rain drainage system in the city of Chowke, to prevent flooding. A further area of work is in Sri Lanka, where Oxam says it wants to improve access to health and hygiene in rural communities in the provinces of Uva and Centrale.