Festival-goers add their voice to our campaign – will you join us?

Did you know that you’re more likely to be poor if you’re a woman? You’re more likely to go hungry and be kept out of school. You’re less likely to own land or have the right to make decisions affecting your life. But we can do something about this. 

This summer, the Oxfam Campaigns Team is asking festival-goers to be part of the solution by supporting our Ending Poverty Starts with Women campaign.

Over the past few weeks we’ve been at Robbie Williams, Bon Jovi and Rihanna and spoken to masses of music lovers about our campaign. So far the response has been phenomenal! 

Already, hundreds of people have shown their support by getting their picture taken with our big, pink megaphone or signing up to support the campaign, which highlights how empowering women has an incredible impact on communities working their way out of poverty.

Above: Fans show their support for our Ending Poverty Starts with Women campaign at the Rihanna concert in Dublin – we’re looking for volunteers to join our festival team at events across the island of Ireland during the rest of the summer! Ger Murphy/Oxfam.

By giving women the same opportunities, skills and tools as men, and ensuring their voice is heard, ordinary women like Sister Martha Waziri, winner of our 2012 Female Food Heroes competition in Tanzania, can achieve incredible things.

At age 17, she began transforming 18 acres of unwanted, barren wasteland into a thriving farm, growing sugarcane, sweet potatoes, bananas and more. 

In doing so she has become a beacon of change for other local women, many of whom have now followed her example. The profits from her farm have allowed Sister Martha to support 12 local orphaned children, providing them with food and shelter. 

Her story and those of other inspirational women was broadcast to millions of people in Tanzania, thanks to our partnership with one of the country’s top-rated TV shows.

Sister Martha shows how Ending Poverty Starts with Women.

Above left: Sister Martha Waziri proves that women can play a crucial role in helping to lift communities out of poverty – she transformed unwanted wasteland into a thriving farm that helps feed 12 orphaned children. Oxfam/MaishaPlus. Above-right: A group of female volunteers (members of the Oxfam water and sanitation committee) head into Jamam refugee camp in South Sudan to spread vital messages to young women over loudspeaker and to distribute hygiene kits. John Ferguson/Oxfam.

We’re looking forward to spending the rest of the summer spreading the word about the campaign and we want you to be a part of it!

We need volunteer stewards and campaigners to join our team. As a volunteer stewards, you’ll work as low-level security at the events with the money donated by festival organisers going to help Oxfam to fight poverty. As a volunteer campaigner, you’ll engage festival-goers with our Ending Poverty Starts with Women campaign.

There are still plenty of events that you can join us at. Over the next few months, we’ll be at Oxegen, Electric Picnic, Longitude, Tennants Vital, Belsonic, Aviva stadium shows, Phoenix Park shows and more.

If you fancy a free ticket to some of the best gigs this summer, or want to have fun while working together to end the injustice of global poverty, then sign up to volunteer with us now! 

You can find out more here or join our Volunteer Festival Stewards Facebook Group to get involved!