The case for a basic income is compelling. You can explore it in Thomas Piketty’s book, listen to insights from Gabriel Zucman and Rutger Bregman, or follow UBI advocate Scott Santens. So we are far from the only one working on it. Worldwide there are countless initiatives. Here we highlight a few organisations who are doing amazing grassroots work on basic income.
Some inspiring basic income projects
Around the world there are numerous inspiring initatives around basic income. Just to name a few UBI4all and Meingrundeinkommen.
UBI4all
UBI4ALL is a forward-thinking organization dedicated to promoting Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) worldwide by giving people the chance to experience UBI in real life through raffles. They regularly raffle off a basic income for 1 to 5 years depending on the country you live in. To participate in the raffle, you need to register with UBI4ALL, and you must be at least 16 years old.
Meingrundeinkommen
Meingrundeinkommen (in German) does a similar raffle dedicated to promoting Unconditional Basic Income (UBI). They also give people the chance to experience UBI in real life through raffles. They regularly raffle off a number of basic incomes. To participate in the raffle, you need to register with Meingrundeinkommen (in German).
100weeks
The slogan of 100weeks is providing temporary cash for permanent change. They work with groups of twenty women in Africa who receive a cash payment of eight euro on their phone for – you guessed it – 100 weeks. A local partner of 100WEEKS selects a group of women who live in extreme poverty. The women can spend the money as they see fit. This method is proven as an effective way to reach their entire community as a whole.
GiveDirectly
GiveDirectly distributes cash for poverty relief. People in poverty are experts on their own lives, and their own needs – what they are missing is money. With that in mind GiveDirectly does one-time cash transfers that allows them to invest in what they need most. This has been shown to improve recipients’ earnings, children’s school attendance, health, nutrition, and mental wellbeing.
INclusion
INclusion supports all 400 inhabitants of the village Welle in Uganda with an unconditional basic income of €15 per month. They do that for seven years, from 2020 until 2027. The results so far are very positive. Apart from a strong reduction in extreme poverty women in the village feel more empowered and the villagers started planting trees. Read more about it in a recent project evaluation.
Eight
Eight gives people control over their own lives through unconditional cash transfers. Communities in Uganda, Ivory Coast, and Congo receive monthly support via Mobile Money for two years, which they spend freely according to their needs. This scientifically validated approach leads to a better quality of life, more opportunities for women, and sustainable development.
