In recent years, the number of cash transfer programs in developing countries has been increasing. The authors of When the Money Runs Out point out both the promise and the limitations of this initiative in terms of permanent welfare improvement (Braid et al.169. The researchers found that cash transfers led to sustained increases in women’s educational attainment and fertility. However, the authors note that after support declined, positive outcomes, including declines in HIV rates, early marriage, and pregnancy rates, waned (Braid et al. 160). Even if the poor receive unconditional transfers, it helps in the short term to improve education and welfare.
The study’s theoretical basis was the articles that argue that there is evidence of the long-term impact of the analyzed initiative on education. Researchers have not overlooked the limitations of the research, noting that in terms of data such as skills, employment, and earnings, the results are still controversial. The researchers’ work is based on experimental evaluations of the impact of a two-year CCT program targeting adolescent girls in Malawi (Braid et al. 170). The authors compared a control group that did not receive assistance with those participants who received unconditional cash transfers. For the sake of purity of the experiment, the data were evaluated two years after the program ended, and the girls stopped receiving payments (1700. The girls who participated in the experiment had to come to the distribution point every month. Interviews and questionnaires were also conducted with participants as part of this study (Braid et al. 173). One of the key findings is that this initiative has the potential to bring young girls back to school. According to the authors, CCT programs are proven to improve school performance among vulnerable populations. This research can be used to justify the need for this type of program.
Works Cited
Braid, Sarah, et al. “When the Money Runs Out: Do Cash Transfers Have Sustained Effects on Human Capital Accumulation?” Journal of Development Economics, vol. 140, 2019, pp. 169-185.