Namibia's Social Capital and Wellbeing: The Rural Community in Focus

THE RURAL COMMUNITY IN FOCUS
NAMIBIA’S SOCIAL CAPITAL
AND WELLBEING

DEFINITIONS
Wellbeing
Is the state of happiness and comfort. It includes the physical, economic, developmental, emotional, psychological
and domain specific contention.
Social wellbeing, which is the extent of feeling part of and parcel of a given community and involvement in its
activities, is highly regarded by Namibians.
Social capital
Is a multi-dimensional concept referring to the networking unity co-existing among a people of a given society.
It entails structural and psychological elements upon which personal networks co-exist.
Social capital is a vital pillar towards achieving a stable economy and a well functioning society in Namibia.
Social capital has the following parameters; horizontal associations, the civil and political society, legal and
governance factors, (Claridge, 2004).