On the 11th September 2012, SIANI, FAO Norden, Sida and Svenska kyrkan held a seminar called "Cash Transfers, resilience and agriculture development". The role of cash transfers in the context of social protection in stimulating local production and increasing resilience’s of rural communities was discussed as well as a great many other related issues.The seminar was held in Stockholm and also broadcast over the internet.

1. Basic Income Grant Pilot
Project in Namibia:
By Uhuru Dempers
Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia
C/o - Basic Income Grant Coalition of Namibia
Seminar on Cash Transfers, resilience
and agricultural development - Stockholm,
Sweden
11th September2012
(Svenskakyrkan, SIDA and SIANI)

2. Facts about Namibia:
development challenges
 Country with the highest levels of income inequality
in the world (70.7 GINI coefficient. UN and World
Bank).
 Unemployment rate jumped from 37% in 2004 to
51.2 % in 2008 up to 70% for youth and rural areas.
Major loss of jobs agriculture. Two-thirds of rural
dwellers rely on subsistence agriculture (2008 est.)
 High rates of infant mortality one in 14 children die
before age five. (6000 died in 2010 alone) national
average is 30%!
 HIV prevalence rate is about 20%

3. Facts about Namibia: continue...
 Urbanisation resulting in 500 000 people
living in informal settlements in cities - in
shacks without any basic services and goods
 25% Namibians – severe hunger (FAO)
 Land reform slow - 4000 white males still
owns 60% of productive agricultural land
 No comprehensive agricultural support
programs especially for small scale farmers –
threats of economic partnership agreements

4. Facts about Namibia: continue...
 Crude international poverty line of less than
U$1 per day will include 62% of Namibians
 Access to quality health, education, housing,
sanitation services a challenge for majority
 Per capita – one of the riches countries on
African continent endowed with natural
resources – 4th largest producer of uranium
and leading producer of quality diamonds
 Only population of 2,165,828 (July 2012 est.)

5. Existing forms of social security
in Namibia
 Universal, unconditional old age pension
(N$500pm) for citizens +60years – almost
80% to 90% coverage and minimal
administration cost.
 Conditional Disability Grant (N$500pm) for
severe disabilities – low coverage
 Conditional grants for orphans and
vulnerable children(various amounts)
 War Veterans Grants (N$2000pm)

6. Existing contributory schemes
• Various contributory conditional grants for
only the employed managed by Social
Security Commission Including (funeral
benefit N$3000), Maternity percentage of
salary and Workmen’s compensation for
workplace accidents
• Various private pension/medical aid schemes
for formal high income employees.
• Low income workers excluded by most
private sector schemes

7. Major challenges with existing
forms of social grants
 Existing social grants have been a relieve for
the poor and supports a “household”
(average 6 people) and not only the
individual beneficiary
 Social grants currently covers only a small
percentage of the poorest and unemployed
 BIG Question: What about those not
covered by existing social grants? Does the
state not have duty to assist them with basic
needs, what about those that will sleep
hungry tonight...no means of survival?

8. Effectiveness of social grants in
addressing socio-economic
challenges
 Grants addresses multiple needs and gives
choices and rights to recipient to priorities
 Social Grants address both socio-economic
and cultural rights and empowers for political
rights (education, health, economic
empowerment)
 Easy to administer and monitor especially
when universal
 Equalises society by taking from rich and
empowering the poor

9. History & Background of BIG
 NAMTAX Commission 2002 (Government!)
Policy Proposal:
 Monthly cash grant (e.g. N$100) paid to
every Namibian citizen (rights-based
approach)
 Every Namibian would receive such a
grant up until pension age – a House Hold
of 6 would receive N$600 per month
 The money of people not in need or in
poverty is recuperated through the tax
system

10. Civil Society advocacy
campaign for policy proposal
 Establishment of Basic Income Grant
Coalition of 2005
 Membership: National Union of Namibian
Workers, Council of Churches of Namibia,
Namibia NGO’s Forum, Network of AIDS
Organisations, National Youth Council,
Alliance of organizations dealing with
orphans and vulnerable children
 January 2008 – December 2009: Otjivero -
Pilot Project on Policy Proposal

11. BIG Pilot Project
 Two year period, January 2008 - December
2009 in Otjivero-Omitara
 Comprehensive Research:
 Baseline Study in November 2007
 Time series in June and November 2008
 Case studies (people with HIV, single mothers, guy, youth
etc.)
 Key informants (police, nurse, teachers, shebeen owners etc.)
 Clinic data, Police statistics (crime statistics)
 School statistics (Payments and pass-rates), Photo
documentation (2,000 pictures - before BIG till end of pilot)
 External international reference group

12. 12
Overall Impact of the BIG:
• Within 12 months of the introduction of
the BIG:
- the number of “severely poor”
households dropped from 86% to 43%
- the number of households below the
food poverty line fell from 76% to 16%.
- unemployment dropped from 60% to
45%.
-migration into the village from nearby
villages and bigger cities

13. BIG ensuring education for all
• Enrollments
increased
• Better academic
performance
• School funds paid
• School has enough
funds to create
enabling
environment
• Access to education

14. Health and the Clinic
 Since the
introduction of the
BIG income of the
clinic has risen five
fold, from about N$
250 to N$ 1,300
 The BIG
strengthens and
complements
Government's
efforts to provide
ARV's to all, who
need them.

15. BIG ensures access to health
and nutrition
• Child malnutrition
almost eradicated
• Food to compliment
ARV and other
medication programs
• Backyard gardening
to grow vegetables
• Grant funds enable
families access to
healthy intake

16. BIG created jobs and ignited
entrepreneurship
• Self employment
opportunities created
• New jobs created
• Residents use grant
to find employment
elsewhere
• New products
created and sold
• Use grants to create
more opportunities

17. Self employment & small
businesses after BIG
Since we get the BIG I
bought materials
and I am making 3
dresses that I will
sell. When I finish
with this one (shows
an almost completed
dress), I will start
with new ones. I sell
a dress for N$ 150.
I also paid a deposit for
new zinc sheets for
my house. When
you come again, you
will see the changes.
I have a lot of plans.
(Emilia Garises)

18. Self employment & small
businesses after BIG
After the introduction of the BIG I
started my business. I bake
traditional bread every day. I
bake 100 rolls per day and sell
each for N$1 (one dollar). I sell
all the rolls in a day and a profit
of about N$400 (four hundred
dollars) per month. My business
is good and I believe that it will
grow. (...). I run it with the help
of my children.
Because of my thankfulness and
good experience with the BIG I
expressed my thank you in
those big letters as you can see
on my house. (Frieda
Nembwaya)

19. Crime
 The incidence of poverty
related crimes has fallen
by over 60% since the
BIG was introduced.
Five months before BIG Five months after BIG
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
28
11
15
15
Economic /
poverty related
Reckless driving,
damage to prop-
erty, violent
crimes
Reportedcrimes(Omitarapolicestation)

20. Livelihoods and Economic
Activity
 Unemployment
dropped
significantly, while
only 36% were
working in Nov 07,
in July 08 this rose
to 48%
 Out of the
unemployed the
proportion of
people actively
looking for work
increased.
47
17
45
7
0
20406080
100
percent
Nov 07 July 08
Source: DfSD & LaRRi Survey Jul 2008
BIG Pilot Project Study
HH with not more than two people moving in or out
Unemployment
unemployed, not looking for work
unemployed, looking for work

21. From pilot to national rollout - cost of
a national BIG in Namibia
• BIG affordable and
sustainable –
poverty,
unemployment and
hunger
unsustainable
• Scope for minor tax
adjustment
• Infrastructure in
place for roll-out

22. 22
From pilot to national rollout-
advocacy and lobbying strategies
• Dialogue with Government at all levels and
lobbying other stakeholders in business and
civil society.
• Public mobilization – awareness raising on
the model and testimonies from pilot site
• Media advocacy – constant debate and
exchanges in the mass media on BIG and
related topics
• Pilot Project results -most powerful advocacy
tool – put poverty, unemployment on national
agenda

23. 23
From pilot to national rollout-
advocacy and lobbying strategies
• Major focus now- Community and public
mobilization for mass action to demand for
implementation of BIG
• Building support in the constituencies of the
BIG – tensions with the trade unions
• Strengthening BIG Coalition with the vision of a
social movement for socio-economic justice
• Addressing the structural transformation of
society – land reform, economic
empowerment, natural resources benefiting
population, education training etc...

24. 24
Alliance building and international
networking
• BIG Campaign in Namibia inspired by Alaska and
Brazil experiences and South Africa
• Participating in regional and international socio-
economic justice campaigns
• African Civil Society Platform on Social
Protection, SADC Parliamentary Forum, BIG
Campaigns elsewhere, BIEN etc...
• Countering advise of IMF and World Bank to
Namibian Government
• Increased acceptance of BIG model in
absence of alternative !

25. “Towards a Basic Income Grant
for all!”