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Precautionary Savings and Shock-Coping Behaviors: The Effects of Promoting Mobile Bank Savings on Transactional Sex in Kenya

Author

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  • Kelly Jones
  • Erick Gong

Abstract

For the vulnerable, even small shocks can have significant short-and long-term impacts. Beneficial shock-coping mechanisms are not widely available in sub-Saharan Africa. We test whether individual precautionary savings can reduce a shock-coping behavior common in SSA that has negative spillovers: transactional sex. Among a set of vulnerable women, we randomly assigned an intervention that promoted savings in a mobile banking account labeled for goals and emergency expenses. We find that the intervention led to an increase in total mobile savings, reductions in transactional sex as a risk-coping response, and a decrease in symptoms of sexually transmitted infections. Changes are sustained in the medium-term.

Suggested Citation

  • Kelly Jones & Erick Gong, 2019. "Precautionary Savings and Shock-Coping Behaviors: The Effects of Promoting Mobile Bank Savings on Transactional Sex in Kenya," Working Papers 2019-06, American University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:amu:wpaper:2019-06
    DOI: 10.17606/cpav-7w34
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    2. Carole Treibich & Eleanor Bell & Elodie Blanc & Aurélia Lépine, 2022. "From a drought to HIV: An analysis of the effect of droughts on transactional sex and sexually transmitted infections in Malawi," Post-Print hal-03818619, HAL.
    3. Ansar,Saniya & Klapper,Leora & Singer,Dorothe, 2023. "The Importance of Financial Education for the Effective Use of Formal Financial Services," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10345, The World Bank.
    4. Danping Liu & Hedan Fang & Yuanmao Tang & Salmi Mohd Isa & Jinquan Tang, 2023. "Intelligent Technology Solutions and Banking Efficiency: The Impacts of Institutional Innovation and Consumer Participation," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(2), pages 21582440231, June.
    5. Leora Klapper, 2024. "Expanding Financial Inclusion through Digital Financial Services : A Literature Review," Policy Research Working Paper Series 11008, The World Bank.
    6. Goehring, Grant, 2025. "Fallen women: Recessions and the supply of sex work," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 247(C).
    7. Ahmed Mushfiq Mobarak & Edward Miguel, 2022. "The Economics of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poor Countries," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 14(1), pages 253-285, August.
    8. Timmons, Shane & Robertson, Deirdre & Lunn, Pete, 2022. "Combining nudges and boosts to increase precautionary saving: A large-scale field experiment," Papers WP722, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    9. Henry Cust & Aurélia Lépine & Carole Treibich & Timothy Powell‐Jackson & Rosalba Radice & Cheikh Tidiane Ndour, 2024. "Trading HIV for sheep: Risky sexual behavior and the response of female sex workers to Tabaski in Senegal," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(1), pages 153-193, January.
    10. Sophie Otticha & Jane Moraa & Jacob Onyango & Olivia Okumu & Marylyn Ochillo & Judith Ayallo & Phillip Owiti & Lillian Ouma & Nancy Ounda & Tobias Odwar & Shantana Carol Ogot & Kawango Agot, 2024. "Eat a little and save a little: A qualitative exploration of acceptability of a potential savings intervention to reduce HIV risk among female sex workers in Western Kenya," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(12), pages 1-14, December.
    11. Srivastava, Nikhil & Tripe, David & Yuen, Mui Kuen, 2023. "Healthcare expenditure and bank deposits," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PC).

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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