Oxfam's work in Angola in depth

Angola is sub-Saharan Africa’s second largest producer of oil and the world’s fourth largest producer of diamonds. However, 27 years of war have devastated Angola, which has some of the world’s worst human development indicators.

The signing of the peace accord in 2002 - which ended the civil war in which 1.5 million people died and four million people fled their homes - has opened real prospects for peace and national reconciliation.

Over two thirds of Angola’s population currently live in poverty. The years of armed conflict have destroyed the country’s infrastructure. Hundreds of thousands of the refugees and displaced people have now begun returning to their original villages. Typically, they return to nothing. While the Government makes plans for reconstruction, rehabilitation and reconciliation, Angola’s poorest people are busy rebuilding their shattered lives.

Oxfam in Angola

Oxfam has been working in Angola since 1989. The programme, until 2003, responded to emergency public health needs of people affected by the civil war with a particular focus on clean water, good sanitation, health and hygiene training and awareness of the risks of HIV.

Since then the programme has shifted into a more long-term one, continuing to do water and sanitation work but also working with local partner groups, which are helping people build up their livelihoods in post-war Angola.  HIV continues to be an area of serious concern, and we work with partner organisations and youth groups to prevent generational infection of HIV and rural-based traders who transport local produce and goods to provincial cities.  During 2006 we have been responding to the cholera outbreak in Luanda.

We have an office in the capital, Luanda, and we work in the rural provinces of Bie, Moxico, Huambo and Benguela.

Last updated: September 06