Join us as Dr Benedetta Lerva, Research Economist at the World Bank, discusses a multifaceted education intervention that fights poverty.

“Big push” programs to lift households out of poverty typically provide cash transfers and physical capital to trigger asset accumulation. We study the comparative performance of a program that instead provides cash transfers and human capital; we exploit the randomized assignment of a package including a full-ride secondary school scholarship for one child and a cash transfer to eligible Ugandan households. Findings show beneficiary households accumulate assets and savings, consume more food, and have better psychological wellbeing, indicating that the package performs like a big push antipoverty intervention with the added benefits of large impacts on children’s education.

Light refreshments will be available.