BIG Pilot Project - Assessment Report - BIG Coalition Namibia

1.4 Methodologytures of Otjivero-Omitara, but also ethically problematic.Therefore, a four-fold research methodology was adopted,drawing on four types of data.First, a baseline survey of the settlement area was conductedin November 2007, two months before the firstpay-out of the BIG. This survey collected retrospectiveand current data on the social and economic situationof the residents, including health and nutritional data.Second, a panel survey was conducted in July 2008,covering the same households and individuals as in thebaseline survey. The panel survey was repeated by a resurveyin November 2008.Third, information was gathered from key informantsliving in or near the settlement area such as the localnurse, the police chief, local leaders and shop keepers.Fourth, a set of case studies of particular individualswas collected in order to provide a picture of human lifein Otjivero- Omitara. These are described in the nextsection. Aspects of how BIG changed their lives are recordedand quoted throughout the report. The individualsagreed that their real names and pictures are published.This is a brave commitment towards the project.The whole community of Otjivero-Omitara has been registeredand is voluntarily participating in the pilot project.The baseline survey of November 2007, and thepanel surveys of July and December 2008 were successfullycompleted. Thus, an assessment of the variouseffects of the BIG could be made.25