by Karl Widerquist | Sep 20, 2011 | News
The BIG debate in Namibia continues as the Permanent Secretary of Environment and Tourism, Kalumbi Shangula, criticized the BIG coalition’s recent arguments for BIG. Shangla, surprisingly argued that the size of the BIG coalition’s proposed Basic Income Grant of 100 Namibian dollars is too small. He said that a grant of that size could only “alleviate” rather than “reduce” poverty. He also questioned some of the BIG coalition’s findings from their reject pilot project in Otjivero-Omitara. Members of the coalition replied with counter-arguments and editorials. Henry Platt, executive director of the Church Alliance for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, argued that BIG could make an important difference to the lives of orphans and vulnerable children in Namibia.
Stories about the debate are online at the following links:
Irene !Hoaës, “BIG debates rages on,” New Era, August 16, 2011
https://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=40150&title=BIG%20debates%20rages%20on
Claudia and Dirk Haarmann, Hilma Mote, and Herbert Jauch, “The BIG Debate in Context: Facts and Fiction about Otjivero,” New Eria July 15, 2011
https://www.bignam.org/Media%20Reports/2011_07_15%20-%20New%20Era_11_07_15%20-%20The%20BIG%20Debate%20in%20Context%20-%20Facts%20and%20Fiction%20about%20Otjivero.pdf
Johanna Absalom, “BIG can benefit orphans and vulnerable children,” July 8, 2011
https://www.economist.com.na/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23685:big-can-benefit-orphans-and-vulnerable-children&catid=587:community-and-culture
by Yannick Vanderborght | Jul 8, 2011 | News
According to the article “BIG can benefit orphans and vulnerable children”, which was witten by Johanna Absalom and published on 8. July 2011 in the Namibian Economist, Dr Henry Platt, executive director of the Church Alliance for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CAFO), said:
BIG provides an answer to the national crisis of poverty and unemployment, which in turn, affects the daily lives of orphans and vulnerable children. We call on the government and the citizens of our country, especially to people of faith, to support this initiative, seeing that poverty and unemployment are some of the social concerns that affect the future of children. This is also because poverty is the root causes of vulnerability for many of the issues surrounding children, hence, the intervention has the potential to elevate life chances of OVCs.
It is time to seriously consider the speedy implementation of BIG as a tool to alleviate the poverty trap, though we know it is not a total solution when in isolation. It offers a spread of money into the hands of all people, bringing about a deeper sense of integrity.
The current systems in place do not sufficiently address the large scale trap of poverty. This situation disadvantages children the most. Unfortunately, the wealth is in the hands of a fortunate group, while the greater part of the community is out.
The best investment in the long run is on education. Under the new Minister, great strides towards the right direction have been made. But, there are still many areas to consider on our journey to free our children for a better future, especially the root causes. We need to reach them all, through education, psychosocial support, food and nutrition, to name but a few of core critical services to OVCs.
Full article:
https://www.economist.com.na/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23685:big-can-benefit-orphans-and-vulnerable-children&catid=587:community-and-culture
by Karl Widerquist | Jun 8, 2011 | News
The website now features a new design, more publications and presentations as well as a collection of articles, sound bites and TV recordings (in English and German) about the BIG campaign and the BIG pilot project from 2009 to 2011.
It is online at: www.bignam.org
by Karl Widerquist | Jun 8, 2011 | News
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/
by Karl Widerquist | Jun 8, 2011 | News
The Basic Income in the Otjivero, Namibia still exists. Although the pilot project ended in December of 2009, the basic income had proven so valuable to the people of Otjivero that the organizers decided to keep a smaller basic income in place “until the BIG is implemented nationwide.” Each of the original residents of Otjivero receives N$80 per month and will continue to receive it indefinitely. The organizers are therefore requesting donations to keep the Otjivero basic income in place. Individuals can give as little as one dollar. People can donate by transferring money to either of the two accounts below. More information about the project and about donations is online at:
https://www.bignam.org/Publications/Pledge%20form%20web.pdf
European account in Germany:
Account name: Blumhardt-Gemeinde HD-Kirchheim
Reference: BIG Namibia
Name of Bank: H+G Bank Heidelberg
Account number: 100 027 61
Branch Number (BLZ): 672 901 00
BIC: GENODE 61 HD 3
IBANDE66 67: 29 0100 0010 0027 61
Namibian account:
Account name: ELCRN – BIG Namibia
Name of Bank: First National Bank
Account number: 62146088457
Branch number: 281972
Branch name: Windhoek Commercial Suite
SWIFT / BIC (Bank Identifier Code): firnnanx
(note, the bank does not have an IBAN code.)
