Chocolate, Filmmaking & Basic Income: My Journey with Social Income to Fight Inequality

Riccardo Tamburini

It all started with a Wikipedia page—one that disappeared almost as quickly as I had found it. That fleeting discovery led me to Social Income, where I became a volunteer. Now, four years later, I want to share how that one moment shaped my journey and how far it has taken me.

1% — Because Doing Something Beats Doing Nothing

Sandino Scheidegger

We know we could do more. We read headlines about hunger, poverty, and deep inequality. We hear staggering numbers—millions living on less than two dollars a day. Even a small contribution from us can meaningfully improve someone’s life. Yet, we pause. Not from lack of caring, but from uncertainty: Where do we start? Will our contribution really matter? Too often, hesitation becomes our way of quieting the guilt of doing nothing.

What is Poverty?

Riccardo Tamburini

Poverty is a major global issue that affects billions of people around the world. It is defined as the lack of access to basic necessities such as food, shelter, and clean water. Poverty also refers to a lack of access to education, healthcare, and other essential services.

Fighting Global Poverty with the Help of Everyday People

Social Income

Social Income lets everyone participate in the fight against global poverty by contributing 1% of their income, which is paid out directly to the phones of people in need. Their approach builds on a reliable, preexisting direct cash donation system, which has proven to be both effective and scalable. The only requirement is a cell phone capable of mobile banking, which makes Sierra Leone—a fast-growing mobile money market—a perfect location.

A Will and a Way to End Poverty

Social Income

The Swiss nonprofit Social Income asks, “What would change if you gave away 1% of your income every month? Not much, right?” It is based on these questions and a strong belief in universal basic income (UBI) that Sandino Scheidegger founded the organization, which works toward alleviating global poverty through direct cash transfers to the impoverished citizens of Sierra Leone. Social Income is taking advantage of the burgeoning use of mobile banking platforms in Africa and is alleviating poverty by facilitating “human to human” assistance.

One Percent is Actually Ridiculous

Social Income

The Zurich-based project Social Income provides people in Sierra Leone with an unconditional basic income. Could this be the future of poverty alleviation? A conversation with the project's founder about global inequality and the potential of voluntary redistribution of wealth.