World Basic Income is a not-for-profit campaign organisation based in Manchester, UK. It was founded in 2016 by Laura Bannister and Paul Harnett, who continue to run the organisation as volunteer executive directors. The organisation is supported by an International Advisory Board, which is made up of people with knowledge or experience of basic income or related issues from around the world.
International Advisory Board
Caroline Teti is a development scientist based in Kenya.
She works at GiveDirectly as Director of Recipient Advocacy. Previously as a Field Director at GiveDirectly, she set-up the Basic Income pilot experiment that currently sends monthly transfers to over 20,000 beneficiaries in Kenya. She has spoken in various forums on the impact of cash on poor communities. She has worked for non-profits in East Africa and Europe and for the government of Kenya. She holds holds a postgraduate degree in Development Communication and a postgraduate Diploma in Gender and Human Rights.
She works at GiveDirectly as Director of Recipient Advocacy. Previously as a Field Director at GiveDirectly, she set-up the Basic Income pilot experiment that currently sends monthly transfers to over 20,000 beneficiaries in Kenya. She has spoken in various forums on the impact of cash on poor communities. She has worked for non-profits in East Africa and Europe and for the government of Kenya. She holds holds a postgraduate degree in Development Communication and a postgraduate Diploma in Gender and Human Rights.
Rahul Basu is Research Director at Goa Foundation, an environmental non-profit in India.
He is technical advisor to Mines, Minerals & People and on the India advisory board of the India Network for Basic Income. Rahul is a member of INSEE (Indian Society for Ecological Economics), EAERE (European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists), the Goenchi Mati Movement and The Future We Need. He has published papers in Economics & Political Weekly on mining and intergenerational equity. His experience includes finance & accounting, behavioural economics and public policy.
He is technical advisor to Mines, Minerals & People and on the India advisory board of the India Network for Basic Income. Rahul is a member of INSEE (Indian Society for Ecological Economics), EAERE (European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists), the Goenchi Mati Movement and The Future We Need. He has published papers in Economics & Political Weekly on mining and intergenerational equity. His experience includes finance & accounting, behavioural economics and public policy.
Julio Linares in an economic anthropologist and activist from Guatemala.
He is currently based in Berlin, where he explores the intersection between complementary currencies and basic income beyond the nation-state. He does social outreach work for the Basic Income Earth Network and holds an Msc from the Anthropology department at the London School of Economics.
He is currently based in Berlin, where he explores the intersection between complementary currencies and basic income beyond the nation-state. He does social outreach work for the Basic Income Earth Network and holds an Msc from the Anthropology department at the London School of Economics.
Frank Kamanga is a Lecturer in Economics at the Catholic University of Malawi.
Frank leads the Basic Income Malawi group and is a global ambassador for the universal basic income movement. He is a former Economist of the Reserve Bank of Malawi and has co-founded two non-governmental organizations: Global Hope Mobilization and Centre for Child Development and Research. As a dynamic Economist, his domains of change-making include universal basic income, business economics, agriculture, digital economy and youth development.
Frank leads the Basic Income Malawi group and is a global ambassador for the universal basic income movement. He is a former Economist of the Reserve Bank of Malawi and has co-founded two non-governmental organizations: Global Hope Mobilization and Centre for Child Development and Research. As a dynamic Economist, his domains of change-making include universal basic income, business economics, agriculture, digital economy and youth development.
Bruna Augusto is a founder of the ReCivitas Institute in Brazil.
She is co-responsible for the Brazilian Pilot Project of Basic Income at Quatinga Velho, the Basic Income Startup, and a developer of the Direct Democracy platform and the alternative intellectual property enabler the RobinRight.org license. She continues to work as a biologist and publisher alongside social activism.
She is co-responsible for the Brazilian Pilot Project of Basic Income at Quatinga Velho, the Basic Income Startup, and a developer of the Direct Democracy platform and the alternative intellectual property enabler the RobinRight.org license. She continues to work as a biologist and publisher alongside social activism.
Marcus Brancaglione is a founder of the ReCivitas Institute in Brazil.
He is co-responsible for the Brazilian Pilot Project of Basic Income at Quatinga Velho, the Basic Income Startup and a creator of the Direct Democracy platform and the alternative intellectual property enabler RobinRight.org license. He is a libertarian activist of the Basic Income and Direct Democracy movements and has published books and articles on the subject.
He is co-responsible for the Brazilian Pilot Project of Basic Income at Quatinga Velho, the Basic Income Startup and a creator of the Direct Democracy platform and the alternative intellectual property enabler RobinRight.org license. He is a libertarian activist of the Basic Income and Direct Democracy movements and has published books and articles on the subject.
Aleeza Howitt is a publisher at UBI Research, a think tank focused on the potential of a UBI created without governmental auspices.
She researches alternative currencies and government-independent universal basic income (UBI). Aspects examined include technology, governance, law, and economic theory. She is a research scholar at the Ronin Institute and a graduate of Tufts University. Aleeza is also an active member of "OpenUBI", an informal network of scholars and activists pursuing alternative UBI initiatives.
She researches alternative currencies and government-independent universal basic income (UBI). Aspects examined include technology, governance, law, and economic theory. She is a research scholar at the Ronin Institute and a graduate of Tufts University. Aleeza is also an active member of "OpenUBI", an informal network of scholars and activists pursuing alternative UBI initiatives.
Brandon Venetta is co-CEO and founder of Mannabase, a people-powered digital currency paid out as basic income, based in the USA.
A proud husband and father, Brandon has a professional career in project management in the construction and engineering sector. He is skilled at community building and relationship developmen, and driven by a compassionate desire to make this world a better place for future generations.
A proud husband and father, Brandon has a professional career in project management in the construction and engineering sector. He is skilled at community building and relationship developmen, and driven by a compassionate desire to make this world a better place for future generations.
Israel Kodiaga is the Founder and President of UBI Kenya
UBI Kenya is a leading platform championing the cause of basic income for all, with 76,000 registered active online users and a ground membership of over 200,000. He serves as the director of Programmes, Research and Strategic Development at The African Centre for International Studies where he conducts analysis and early warning on conflicts in Africa with the aim of informing policy responses. He is a visiting Professor in a number of leading international universities and a consultant for a range of organisations.
UBI Kenya is a leading platform championing the cause of basic income for all, with 76,000 registered active online users and a ground membership of over 200,000. He serves as the director of Programmes, Research and Strategic Development at The African Centre for International Studies where he conducts analysis and early warning on conflicts in Africa with the aim of informing policy responses. He is a visiting Professor in a number of leading international universities and a consultant for a range of organisations.
Sarath Davala is the Vice President of the Basic Income Earth Network, and the coordinator of India Network for Basic Income (INBI).
He is an independent sociologist based in Hyderabad, India. He was the Research Director of the Indian Basic Income Pilot Study with R. Jhabvala, S.K. Mehta, and G. Standing, and they co-edited Basic Income: A Transformative Policy for India? He is also the co-founder of Mission Possible 2030 which is a global initiative that links basic income and UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to this, Sarath was an Associate Professor at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, India.
He is an independent sociologist based in Hyderabad, India. He was the Research Director of the Indian Basic Income Pilot Study with R. Jhabvala, S.K. Mehta, and G. Standing, and they co-edited Basic Income: A Transformative Policy for India? He is also the co-founder of Mission Possible 2030 which is a global initiative that links basic income and UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to this, Sarath was an Associate Professor at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, India.
Directors
Paul Harnett is an economist. He works on macroeconomics, public finance management and poverty reduction, with specialisms in healthcare, agricultural economics, anti-corruption schemes, community participation, and safety nets including cash transfers. He has worked with the World Bank, European Commission, UNDP, UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, World Health Organisation, the UK’s Department for International Development, the African Development Bank, SECO, USAID and various NGOs, and he sits on the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department expert panel. He has worked throughout Africa, Asia, Central America, Europe and the USA.
Laura Bannister is an economic justice campaigner, political activist and researcher. In various roles she has worked on trade justice, the economics curriculum, child rights and environmental issues, and she helped to draft basic income manifesto proposals during the UK's 2015 general election. She has studied political economy and global justice, and her research has focused on worldwide inequality, the potential for a global minimum wage, and the creep of investor-protections into 'trade' policy. She has worked with NGOs in Zambia, and the Eastern African Greens Federation in Uganda and Kenya. In 2015 she initiated the creation of World Basic Income.
Adam Ozanne is a senior lecturer in economics at the University of Manchester. He comes from Guernsey and graduated from Queen Elizabeth College, the University of London, with a degree in Physics and Astronomy. After travels in Asia and the Pacific and a period working for ActionAid, he obtained an MA in Rural Development from the University of East Anglia in 1984. He came to the University of Manchester in 1985, became a lecturer in 1989 and senior lecturer in 2002. His research has focused on agri-environmental policy, agricultural development and the adoption of new technology in less developed countries, and the neglect of power in mainstream economics. His book, “Power and Neoclassical Economics: A Return to Political Economy in the Teaching of Economics”, was published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2016. He is actively involved in the University and College Union (UCU), currently as branch secretary and is elected to its National Executive Committee.
Nixon Tod is a carpenter and trade union organiser. After studying economics, he gravitated to his first love - carpentry - and spent 40 years wood-working for theatrical installations, and then supporting wood-work teaching in Further Education. All of this time he also worked as a trade union organiser and is now working full time on union issues, including as chair of the UK UNISON Further Education and Sixth Form College Committee. His long term interests in democracy, empowerment and the redistribution of wealth between Global North and South led him to become a founding director of World Basic Income.
Sarah Methven is a governance and social development consultant. She works on empowering citizens and civil society organisations to engage with governments and decision makers on: rights, livelihoods, justice, community resource management and monitoring. After completing a Masters degree in Social Policy and Social Development she joined www.intrac.org and is now an associate. She has worked with the Department for International Development, the EU and other donors, and for organisations including Oxfam GB and Concern Worldwide. She lived in Southern Africa for ten years and now volunteers with Bristol Signing Support group that supports asylum seekers. After nearly thirty years working in development, she is excited by the potential of a world basic income to empower people and reduce global inequality.
Mike Dowden is an economist. He works on microeconomics, regional economic development focussing on labour market issues and dynamics (un/employment, routes into work, gender, training et al), SME and entrepreneur matters (especially survival entrepreneurship), programme development and financing. Mike’s experience has been with DfID, the European Commission, the World Bank and various NGOs. This work has taken place throughout Europe, Africa, the MENA and Gulf States, Asia and North America.