BIG Pilot Project - Assessment Report - BIG Coalition Namibia

2.4 Profile of Otjivero-OmitaraThe out-migration (16%) has been considerably smallerthan the in-migration (27%). Of those who left, the majoritywere unemployed (33%) followed by children whowere full-time students (24%) and thirdly a group ofpeople, who were in employment (18%).It is noteworthy that the people who left, were also takingthe BIG with them and thereby reduced the totalamount of the BIG spent in Otjivero-Omitara.An in-migration of 27% into Otjivero-Omitara points tothe attraction of a community receiving the BIG, evenwhen the in-migrants themselves do not receive theBIG. It seems many people came to Otjivero-Omitaraout of destitution and in order to somehow benefit fromthe BIG paid to family members. This is remarkable,since Otjivero-Omitara as an isolated rural area haslittle attraction. The actual in-migration is likely to beeven higher than 27%, which only captures existinghouseholds and not any new households that were establishedduring 2008.Ninety-four percent of in-migrating children were below15 years old and hence were eligible to attend theOtjivero Primary School. Whether these children cameto the area to take advantage of the BIG-induced increasein household income, or whether it was to takeadvantage of the school (which is widely believed tohave improved as a consequence of greater school feerecollection), the result was to put greater, and unexpectedpressure on the school.It most cases, the extra people in the households putan additional strain on household budgets. The followingtable calculates the average per capita BIG in thehouseholds over time, both with and without an inflationadjustment:An in-migrationof 27%intoOtjivero-Omitarapoints to theattraction ofa communityreceivingtheBIG.The extrapeople inthe householdsput anadditionalstrain onhouseholdbudgets.35