Actor Scarlett Johansson has joined international agency Oxfam (www.oxfamamerica.org) in the fight against poverty following a life-changing trip to India and Sri Lanka. During her ten-day visit, Scarlett learned how investing in education and basic health-care are vital to saving lives and lifting millions of poor children and families out of poverty. She also met Indian women who’ve survived domestic violence and Tsunami survivors in Sri Lanka.

Scarlett, who has been a long-time supporter of Oxfam, was moved by the organization’s response to saving and rebuilding lives following the 2004 Tsunami. She travelled with the international development organization to better understand the complex issues facing poor communities and how support and funding from the US and other rich nations can help end poverty.

She began her trip spending a day with young girls at an Oxfam-funded school in rural Uttar Pradesh, India that has enabled over a thousand poor children from the lowest Dalit caste to gain a basic education. In Delhi she met with survivors of domestic violence who are part of Oxfam’s “We Can” campaign. Over 800,00 people have joined the campaign to overcome domestic violence which affects millions of women across South Asia.