Keep Your Own House In Order!

I was just having a chat with Gemma and Darrell earlier, about politics and current affairs. The one thing I always liked about Gem, was her like of issues, that I also found interesting. We were discussing everything from Donald Trump to money and Brexit. Inevitably, Oxfam cropped up in the conversation. Gemma understands what happened to us in the UK with regards to the bullying that occurred against us and others; that is not what I want to talk about today, but rather an incident that happened, just before I was taken out of Oxfam, sick and ill.

in 2015 a meeting was called, to discuss important issues that had arisen at Oxfam GB. The meeting itself was initiated because of a scandal, right at the heart of the UK's biggest charity. 

Head of HR, Beth Mayes came down to Southampton, to our Eastleigh office to discuss 'Safeguarding,' an important issue for all of us, who worked with vulnerable people. It is necessary to afford protection to those, who can't ordinarily look after themselves. I had been part of an intense 'safeguarding' course in the past, not through Oxfam, but for the charity I volunteered for, Action For Children; so I understood the need for such conventions.

The meeting was unusual in the fact it had been hurried through at short notice; something had clearly materialised within Oxfam's ranks; it wasn't too long before we found out the real reason for the convocation. I don't mind telling you, I was shocked. Oxfam's aid programme in Africa had come into disrepute. Oxfam employees responsible for distributing aid to those in need, had used their positions of power to manipulate vulnerable adults and children. They had demanded sex in return for aid. Young, unprotected victims were being abused, victimised and bullied by paid Oxfam staff, in the name of the charity they represented. This was an appalling admission by this large charity.

​In order to try and combat the problem, Oxfam had come up with a set of ideals, that every Oxfam employee would have to comply with, or they would face dismissal. It was decided at Head Office, Oxfam House, that no employee would be allowed a relationship with anyone, eighteen years old or under. This went against British law and in the view of many of us, broke our human rights. Very few of us spoke up at the time as we sat there horrified, at what Oxfam were implementing. This was not a problem about relationships, it went much, much further and Oxfam could not see past its own intransigence.

I had been in a relationship, happily for the past twenty years at the time of the meeting. I understood the importance of commitment. I was also well aware that Oxfam's proposals were wrong and were not dealing with these important issues.

After suffering at the hands of bullies myself, It was clear the Management structure, within Oxfam was responsible, for some terrible acts of bullying and in the case of Africa, sexual abuse. The framework at Oxfam had not changed since 1948, its inception. There were no checks and balances built into the system. If a Manager was causing difficulties, there was no one in place to stop them doing so. They were able to go unchecked, hurting others for personal gain. This is what happened in Africa. The composition of the team there, had allowed a group of sociopathic bullies, to control the administration of food and medical supplies. This was a disaster; the only people to blame were Oxfam and those in charge, at the top.

Oxfam refused to admit responsibility, shifting the blame from those answerable to those who just followed by example. Oxfam had failed its employees, volunteers and the defenceless, who required its assistance. No changes were made to the Management configuration, dreadful acts of abuse were still occurring; I was also a victim, and yet I never knew it.

By the time I left this terrible trust, I was a shadow of my former self. Like those who needed aid in Africa, I was also a victim, of a charity, that refused to change its way of thinking and doing things. Managers are still in place causing harm to others and overseas programmes are still corrupt, this will not change until Oxfam changes its whole outlook, composition and make-up, removing a culture of bullying and replacing it with a construct that works for everyone; discharging all those that had brought this once great charity into disrepute. It is up to Oxfam to change, but up to employees to speak out and donors to withdraw their support. Would it be a bad thing if this charity was disbanded? I don't think so!

Remember this; When Oxfam ran a campaign against corporate sociopaths in 2012; when they talk about the injustice of the top 1% of the population, accumulating as much wealth, as the rest, they are forgetting that they also have a culture of sociopathy in their midst, Without the richest 1%, many of the World diseases would not have the funds they need, to help produce a cure, for the benefit of everyone. Look at the sociopaths in your charity, get your own house in order!

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