BIG Pilot Project - Assessment Report - BIG Coalition Namibia

Section 2: Impact AssessmentWitvlei prison until now that I am in Gobabis mainprison, I have not received the ARVs. Due to thisbreak … I am now receiving TB treatment in prison.In July 2008, we visited Johannes again, this time athis house in Otjivero. Both Johannes and Adolfine, hissister, who is also HIV positive, were looking far healthierthan they were before the introduction of the BIG.Johannes was released from jail on 11 th March 2008after paying his fine with the money he received fromthe BIG and he explains how his life has changed dueto the introduction of the BIG:His storybears testimonytohow thehealthstatus aswell as theliving conditionsofpeople livingwith HIV improvedwiththe introductionofthe BIG.Photo 15: Johannes Goagoseb - reunited with his family (July2008)Our expectations are definitely met with the introductionof the BIG and we feel good and reallyhappy that Otjivero was chosen for the BIG. Thehundred N$ we receive seems small but it is ablessed money. Many things have changed in ourlives. We have bought blankets, clothes, schoolclothes, paid school fees and a strong plastic to puton the roof of our house. We do not any more sufferfrom the severe hunger we were in before westarted getting the BIG. We don’t any more buyonly maize meal but also different kinds of food.Sometimes we also buy vegetables. We have still62