The BIG Coalition in Namibia has been running a BIG pilot project in the village of Otjivero for several years now. On February 6-12, 2011, Brazilian Senator Eduardo Suplicy visited the project while on an exchange visit between Brazil and Namibia. In addition to visiting Otjivero, he held a community meeting in Katutura, met various high-profile politicians, gave TV interviews, and gave a well-attended public lecture together with Bishop Dr. Z. Kameeta, head of the Namibian Lutheran Church and the BIG Coalition in Namibia. The Senator’s visit attracted a great deal of media attention and—according to members of the BIG coalition—gave a substantial boost to their campaign for BIG.
The public lecture of Senator Suplicy was part of a regional conference where social activists from Southern Africa discussed ‘the triple burden of poverty, unemployment and inequality’. The conference identified the BIG as the concrete and tangible policy proposal in Southern Africa, which needs to be implemented as soon as possible. The conference further concluded that the BIG is not a “maximum” demand but a crucial first step in a series of policy interventions needed to reverse the structural injustices caused by colonialism and apartheid and perpetuated by the neo-liberal economic policies of today.
Servaas van den Bosch, of The Namibian, interviewed a recipient of the grant, named Bertha Hamases. She said that the money helped her to land a job. Asked how it affected the town, she said, “The children all buy school uniforms and parents pay the school fees. People buy food and purchase TVs, dvd-players and stoves. Many have extended their houses. Where there [were] few shops before, now there are 10-12 little shops. The place is much cleaner because people don’t mind cleaning when they are fed and not hungry. Crime has stopped totally, while alcoholism and the beating of women has become much less. There was prostitution because women were hungry, but that has stopped completely.” For the full text of the interview see: “Basic Income Grant: ‘Let Others Taste What We Have Tasted’,” in The Namibian:
https://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=54503
A recent study on inequalities in Southern Africa found that BIG would be an immediate intervention that would free millions from poverty and its debilitating effects. The study, edited by Herbert Jauch and Deprose Muchena, is entitled, “Tearing Us Apart: Inequalities in Southern Africa.” A news report about the study is online at:
https://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=37445
Senator Suplicy’s account of his visit was published in The Namibian. It’s on line at:
https://www.namibian.com.na/letters/full-story/archive/2011/march/article/senator-in-support-of-big/
For more on the Senator’s visit, the pilot project, and the campaign for BIG. See the following articles:
“Youths in support of BIG,” The Observer:
https://www.observer.com.na/component/content/article/8-newsflash/600-youths-in-support-of-big
“Geingob supports BIG,” New Era:
https://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=37293&title=Geingob%20supports%20BIG
The BIG Confusion, The Namibian:
https://www.namibian.com.na/columns/full-story/archive/2011/march/article/the-big-confusion/
