BIG Pilot Project - Assessment Report - BIG Coalition Namibia

2.12 Economic activity, income, and expenditureThe following sections analyse in greater detail the economicimpact by looking at the household income ofthe panel broken down into the sources of income.Sources of Household IncomeMeanhouseholdincome bysource excludingBIG(panel) Nov 07 Nov 08Increase /Decrease in%Wages N$ 581 N$ 692 19%Self-employmentN$ 170 N$ 681 301%Farming N$ 42 N$ 57 36%Remittances N$ 103 N$ 82 -21%GovernmentgrantsTable 3: Household incomeN$ 199 N$ 285 44%The main source of household income growth was inself-employment. As can be seen from the table above,income from all sources (except remittances) rose overthe year of the study. The fall in remittances (typicallyremittances are contributions by extended family memberssupporting poor rural households through cash orin kind transfers) no doubt reflects the reduced need inOtjivero-Omitara to be supported by relatives elsewhere.The sharp rise in contributions from self-employmentspeaks for the improved earnings from selfemploymentafter incomes were boosted in the area bythe BIG, as well as the growth of new self-employmentactivities. Self-employment has grown to the same levelas wages.Most small enterprises which emerged following the introductionof the BIG were in retailing, brick-makingand the manufacture of clothing. According to the respondents,the BIG was central in providing start-upcapital and external demand. This is supported by thefollowing remarks from residents of Otjivero:The sharprise in contributionsfrom selfemploymentspeaks forthe improvedearningsfromself-employmentafterincomeswere boostedin thearea by theBIG.73