Each year, some 827,000 people in low- and middle-income countries die as a result of inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene. This problem is often exacerbated by natural disasters, such as the flooding that happened in India in 2017 and 2018. In response to this flooding, Oxfam India reached out to over 100,000 people in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Kerala, and Manipur with facilities to ensure proper clean drinking water and toilets. This is one of the most crucial steps to prevent the outbreak of waterborne diseases. This effort to prevent common public health diseases and deaths is one example of how Oxfam India tackles prevalent and pervasive challenges within India.
Since 1951, Oxfam has worked in India with grassroots organizations to respond to natural disasters and fight for the rights of the marginalized communities in the country. Since the beginning, Oxfam has maintained its vision to help create an equal, just, and sustainable society. By focusing on four poverty-eliminating goals, Oxfam India addresses the root causes of inequality in an effort to improve the lives of those in need.
These goals are
- Public livelihood
- Equity for women
- Education and health
- Human rights
Important Work Needs a Reliable Data Backup Solution
With so many different activities and a widespread geographic footprint in India, Oxfam India's three-person information technology team plays a critical role in the organization. The organization's operations require technology that is reliable, works efficiently, and is secure. Many times over the last five years, Oxfam India has leveraged technology resources from BigTech, the technology program of NASSCOM Foundation, offered in partnership with TechSoup.
The organization uses a hybrid IT infrastructure that balances an on-premises datacenter in New Delhi and processing and controlling data in public clouds. Oxfam India's IT manager, Mahipal Waldia, was looking for a backup and recovery solution to replace the organization's older and slower solution. He was delighted that Veritas Backup Exec was available through BigTech. He had been using it for over 10 years at other organizations and knew that it would cover their hybrid infrastructure. And the solution was affordable.
A Thwarted Ransomware Attack
Last year, Veritas Backup Exec proved to be critical to the organization when it was the victim of a ransomware attack. As soon as the IT team learned about the attack, they immediately isolated the infected server. The team was able to execute a complete recovery process through their backup server and had their financial system up and running smoothly within hours.
Veritas Backup Exec is equipped with a time-stamp capability that made it easy for Oxfam India to recovery its data from a specific point in time and move forward with its activities. The ability to recover clean and uncompromised data within hours enabled the organization's staff to continue working on assessing, designing, and implementing needs-based projects that improve equity and opportunity for vulnerable communities in India.
More Resources for What Matters Most
With Veritas Backup Exec, Oxfam India gathers and protects vital donor and beneficiary data that is critical for its existence. And the need for robust software to safeguard beneficiaries' data and comply with both internal and external audits would have forced the organization to spend more money on a backup and recovery solution if it were unable to access the software through the BigTech program. Fortunately, these needs are taken care of, and Oxfam India can dedicate those funds to ensure that every marginalized person and community in India lives a life of dignity and free from discrimination.
Additional Resources
- Learn more about Essential Security Resources for Nonprofits.
- Check out TechSoup Courses' Cybersecurity Bundle.
