Claudia & Dirk Haarmann

Professional experience

Since 2019: Social policy advisors with the Economic Policy Research Institute (EPRI), Cape Town. Currently working in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique as regional ITP coordinator for Southern Africa. The Advanced International Training Programme (ITP) in Social Protection for Sustainable Development is a joint programme of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), Arbetsförmedlingen (the Swedish Public Employment Service) and the Economic Policy Research Institute (EPRI).

Since 2015: Pastors of the congregations Sils im Domleschg and Mutten of the evangelical-reformed church in Graubünden / Switzerland

2013 to 2014: Development, planing and implementation of the “Emergency cash grants” for the drought relief programme of the lutheran Churches of Namibia supported by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and the ACT Alliance

Since 2011: Research Associates of the Centre for Social Science Research, University of Cape Town, South Africa

2011: Research project on "Solidarity Economy" for the Ecumenical Service for Socio-Economic Transformation (ESSET), South Africa. Including a South to South exposure visit with informal traders from Lesotho and South Africa to Brazil

2010 to 2015: Directors of the Theological Institute for Advocacy and Research of the Lutheran Churches in Southern Africa (LUCSA)

2005 to 2006: Coordinators for the International Labour Organisation (ILO) People’s Security Survey in Namibia in collaboration with Government's National Planning Commission and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

2005 to 2010: Coordinators of Basic Income Grant Coalition Namibia and implementation of BIG Pilot Project


2004 to 2015: Pastors of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN)

2003 to 2010: Project Directors - Desk for Social Development (DfSD), Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN)

2003 to 2004: Vicars of the Paulus //Gowaseb congregation (informal settlement in Katutura, Windhoek) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN)

2001 to 2002: Research for the Economic Policy Research Institute (EPRI), Cape Town

2000 to 2002: Research for the South African Government Committee of Inquiry into a Comprehensive Social Security System (Taylor Committee)

1997 to 1998: Research for the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) on a ‘Comprehensive Social Security System for South Africa’

1996 to 1997: Research for the South African Council of Churches (SACC), various NGOs, and the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee for Welfare in South Africa (now Committee for Social Development)

In 1996: Research for the South African Government Committee on the restructuring of social security for child and family support (Lund Committee, South Africa)

In 1995: Research for the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee for Social Welfare in South Africa (now Committee for Social Development)

In 1996: Research for the South African Government Committee on the restructuring of social security for child and family support (Lund Committee, South Africa)

In 1995: Research for the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee for Social Welfare in South Africa (now Committee for Social Development)