The Long Term Impacts of Grants on Poverty: 9-year Evidence From Uganda's Youth Opportunities Program

Christopher Blattman, Nathan Fiala and Sebastian Martinez

No 24999, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: In 2008, Uganda granted hundreds of small groups $400/person to help members start individual skilled trades. Four years on, an experimental evaluation found grants raised earnings by 38% (Blattman, Fiala, Martinez 2014). We return after 9 years to find these start-up grants acted more as a kick-start than a lift out of poverty. Grantees' investment leveled off; controls eventually increased their incomes through business and casual labor; and so both groups converged in employment, earnings, and consumption. Grants had lasting impacts on assets, skilled work, and possibly child health, but had little effect on mortality, fertility, health or education.

JEL-codes: C93 D13 J24 O12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp, nep-hea and nep-lma
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Published as Christopher Blattman & Nathan Fiala & Sebastian Martinez, 2020. "The Long-Term Impacts of Grants on Poverty: Nine-Year Evidence from Uganda’s Youth Opportunities Program," American Economic Review: Insights, vol 2(3), pages 287-304.

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