Wilfred Diergaardt, a long-time leader of the Basic Income movement in Namibia, died of Covid-19 earlier this month. One December 22, Claudia and Dirk Haarmann, sent the following announcement of Dieragaardt's death: It is with a very sad heart that we have to share...
Basic Income Grant in Namibia relaunch
From 2008 to 2009 Namibia hosted a globally significant Basic Income pilot project. The coalition behind the project relaunched today to ask for a Basic Income for Namibia. For details of the launch event click here. Speakers at the event included Uhuru Dempers (Desk...
Namibia – UBI success and institutional failure
1. Namibia - country background A South West African state with a troublesome colonial history, Namibia has a population of around 2,5 million people and is one of the least populated countries in Africa due to its extremely dry climate. The country is rich in natural...
New book reviews the Namibian Basic Income pilot
A new book looks back at the effects of Namibia's Basic Income pilot project on the villagers who received the grant. Publication information: Claudia & Dirk Haarmann, 2019, Basic Income Grant Otjivero, Namibia - 10 years. Windhoek, Namibia: Economic & Social...
BIG PILOT PROJECT IN NAMIBIA HAS POSITIVE IMPACT (from 2008)
This essay was originally published in the USBIG NewsFlash in October 2008. In January 2008, a Basic Income Grant (BIG) pilot project began in the Otjivero-Omitara area in Namibia. All residents below the age of 60 years receive a Basic Income Grant of 100...
The Namibian BIG Proposal in Perspective (from 2005)
This essay was originally published in the USBIG NewsFlash in May 2005. While the Namibian government balks at the difficulty of raising the $200 million it would need to provide its citizens with a minimum income of a little more than 50 cents ($0.50) a day, it is...
Namibia May Be Considering Basic Income Grants
The Ministry for Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare in Namibia has floated the possibility of introducing basic income grants for those between 19 and 59, according to Namibian national daily paper New Era. The Ministry was set up in early 2015, following the...
NAMIBIA: Demands Begin for Basic Income, Not Food Banks
Namibia’s food bank program was rolled out on June 30, and some unions and activists are demanding that it be supplemented or replaced by a basic income grant.
Setback for Basic Income movement in Namibia
When Namibia's president Hage Geingob appointed Bishop Zephania Kameeta as minister of poverty eradication and social welfare last year, the Basic Income activists saw this as a step towards the introduction of a nationwide Basic Income Grant (BIG). President...
On why basic income has not yet been deployed: now it’s Namibia
In these countries, poverty is an asset for big industry, which has, to a great extent, bought political power.
NAMIBIA: Basic Income Grant request newest step toward poverty eradication
Namibia's Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, Zephania Kameeta, announced last Thursday that a Basic Income Grant was being submitted for Cabinet approval and presented the blueprint to fellow Ministers. The blueprint seeks to expand on an early Basic...
NAMIBIA: President unleashes new plan for Basic Income Grant
President Hage Geingob announced new plans to eradicate poverty by 2025. At the heart of his strategy is the introduction of basic income grants.
NAMIBIA: Basic Income Grant Back on National Agenda
Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare Zephania Kameeta, a longtime supporter of basic income, has conducted multiple meetings with groups from all 14 regions in Namibia on the topic of interventions to eradicate poverty and distribute wealth more equally...
Herbert Jauch, “The Rise and Fall of the Basic Income Grant Campaign: Lessons from Namibia”
ABSTRACT: Namibia is still characterised by deep socio-economic inequalities, as economic structures have remained largely intact after independence. Poverty is still widespread and unemployment has remained high with women and youth being particularly...
Claudia and Dirk Haarmann, “Relief through cash: Impact assessment of the emergency cash grant in Namibia”
This report examines the impact of an emergency cash grant distributed by churches in Namibia modeled on the Basic Income Grant Pilot in Otjivero. During the 2012/2013 summer months, the precipitation deficits varied between 20% and 90%, which resulted in one of the...
NAMIBIA: Government ‘strongly considering’ Basic Income
The Namibian Minister for Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare has confirmed the strong interest of his government for the idea of basic income.
NAMIBIA: Blue Economy Movement Advocates Basic Income Grant
The Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare of Namibia, has come out in criticism of Namibia’s current economic model based on self-interest and profit in favor of the Blue Economy, an economic philosophy centered around social and environmental justice....
NAMIBIA: Basic Income Movement Leader Appointed as Head of New Ministry for Poverty Alleviation
Namibian ex-bishop and leading advocate for basic income Zephania Kameeta was just appointed Minister for Poverty Alleviation.
NAMIBIA: Poll Finds 78% of Namibians Support the Basic Income Grant
Nearly 8 out of 10 Namibians (78%) favor a Basic Income Grant (BIG—as unconditional basic income is known in the region) for every Namibian citizen according to a recent poll. This result is probably the highest level of support for Basic Income recorded in any...
NAMIBIA: Basic Income Program Returns to Otjivero
A basic income pilot project, originally implemented in 2008, has just been re started. The project in the Otjivero-Omitara settlement of the Steinhausen Constiuency in Namibia had been providing all residents living in the settlement since 2007 with $100 per person...