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Cash Transfers after Ebola in Guinea : Lessons Learned on Human Capital

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  • De Walque,Damien B. C. M.
  • Mavridis,Dimitris

Abstract

This paper evaluates the effects of a program that transferred different amounts of cash to poorhouseholds in rural Guinea. The program’s aim was to improve children’s schooling and health outcomes in the immediateaftermath of the Ebola pandemic. In treated villages, households received cash conditional only on attendingtrainings promoting good health practices and schooling. The program randomizedat two levels. The first level was between treated and control villages. The second level waswithin treated villages. Households were randomly distributed in three treatment arms: (i) no cash transfer,(ii) a cash transfer of 8 USD/quarter/child over two years, and (iii) a cash transfer twice as large as in group (ii).School enrollment increased nationwide and rapidly in the aftermath of Ebola. The authors find that it increasedsignificantly more in treated villages. From a low baseline of around 40 percent of primary-school-age enrollment,treated villages increased their school enrollment by more than 11 percentage points compared to control villages. Theeffect is higher for larger cash transfers compared to those with no cash transfers in treated villages. Schoolenrollment also increased among untreated households in treated villages, probably due to a combined effect—whichcannot be differentiated—from spillovers and from the information campaigns. Despite the massive increase inschool enrollment, there is no evidence of effects on learning measures. Health inputs such as vaccinationdeteriorated overall in Guinea in the aftermath of Ebola, and the program did not mitigate this fall.

Suggested Citation

  • De Walque,Damien B. C. M. & Mavridis,Dimitris, 2022. "Cash Transfers after Ebola in Guinea : Lessons Learned on Human Capital," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9989, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:9989
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Molina Millán, Teresa & Macours, Karen & Maluccio, John A. & Tejerina, Luis, 2020. "Experimental long-term effects of early-childhood and school-age exposure to a conditional cash transfer program," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
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