Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson has won praise from British-based international aid agency Oxfam for missing the Oscars to tour their projects in India and Sri Lanka.

"By supporting Oxfam, Scarlett is taking a stand alongside millions of people globally who are working to overcome poverty," the charity's executive director Jeremy Hobbs said.

"Her support is crucial in helping to show how the smallest donation to Oxfam can mean the world of difference to a poor community."

The Lost in Translation star, 22, is currently on a 10-day visit to the sub-continent and has seen an Oxfam-funded school in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, set up to educate children from the "untouchable" Dalit caste.

She has also seen healthcare projects and has travelled to Sri Lanka to see how the charity is helping in reconstruction projects after the 2004 tsunami.

- AFP