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    From ‘the dole’ via ‘co-operation’ to ‘Oxfam’, our name changes betray how the struggle against poverty has evolved in 54 years of Oxfam Novib.

     

    54 years of Oxfam NovibOxfam Novib began as Novib in 1956, the first politically independent and non-religious development organisation in the Netherlands.

    foundation

    After the 1953 floods the Netherlands received a lot of aid from abroad. Even from India. Father Simon Jelsma and others wanted to return the favour. On March 1956 they founded the Netherlands Organisation for International Assistance (Novib) to help people in Third World countries. 

    guest at your table

    Appeals like ‘Food for India’ and ‘Hope for the Sahel’ raised millions. People spontaneously put envelopes with money in our letter box. In 1963 we introduced the action ‘Guest at your Table’. Its symbol were a carton piggy bank and from 1973 the Novib Calendar.


    all fronts

    ‘Assistance’, or ‘the dole’ in its more common Dutch meaning, became ‘development co-operation’. We tackled poverty on all fronts: from support to development projects to pressure on businesses, governments and international institutions.


    together we stand

    In 1994 we joined Oxfam International, a confederation of fourteen development agencies. Hence we are called Oxfam Novib. Together we reach about 100 million people in about 100 countries. We campaign worldwide for, e.g., Education for All, and Make Trade Fair.

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