Oxfam Australia was the result of a merger between the Australian Freedom From Hunger Campaign (est. 1961) and Community Aid Abroad. In 1992 the merger created on of Australia's largest development organizations. A founding member of Oxfam International (est. 1995), the organization became Oxfam Community Aid Abroad, and in 2005 became Oxfam Australia.
Visit Oxfam Australia at: www.oxfam.org.au
The Australian Freedom From Hunger Campaign, 1960-1992 |
Community Aid Abroad (1953-1992) |
The Australian Freedom From Hunger Campaign (AFFHC) was launched in 1961 following the launch of FAO's international Freedom From Hunger Campaign. FFHC Australia was a community-based campaign aimed at raising awareness about poverty issues around the world and provided opportunities for people to directly support anti-poverty programs in developing countries. Membership was initially open to organizations rather than individuals and these included unions and community groups. AFFHC grew to become a national organization that, beginning in 1964, conducted appeals for countries including India, Timor-Leste, Cambodia and Ethiopia, and supported Aboriginal Issues in Australia.
|
Community Aid Abroad began in Melbourne's suburbs in 1953 as a church-affiliated group called Food For Peace Campaign, founded by Father Gerard Kennedy Tucker. The group send weekly donations to a small health project in India, and eventually Food For peace groups were established throughout Victoria. In 1962, a full-time campaign director was appointed and the name was changed to Community Aid Abroad. The new name reflected an aim to assist communities more broadly, rather than just providing food to maintain peace. Throughout the 1960s, local Community Aid Abroad groups were established across Australia.
|
Visit the OxfamAUS interactive timeline!
“No worthwhile task is ever begun except by those with a vision. Visionaries however must be practical. We try to be practical by giving what we can and inducing others to do likewise.” — Father Gerard Kennedy Tucker
