This report provides a summary of key findings from evaluations of four programs, two in Kenya and two in Tanzania, supporting orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC). This study was conducted by MEASURE Evaluation in 2006-2007 and funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

The Education Development Center has produced a cross-sectoral assessment of the Youth of Yemen, as part of a EQUIP3 USAID-funded initiative. The Yemen Stability Initiative (YSI) endeavors to address alienation among disaffected, disenfranchised, vulnerable youth ages 15–24. It addresses their difficulties through an array of activities and programs to increase their civic participation, life skills competence, health, violent extremism management and mitigation capabilities, and livelihood opportunities.

The study focused on key youth issues:

This report reviews the evidence on conditional cash transfers (CCTs)—safety net programs that have become popular in developing countries over the last decade. It concludes that CCTs generally have been successful in reducing poverty and encouraging parents to invest in the health and education of their children.

The Child Status Index (CSI) is a simple instrument used to assess child well-being through visits with children and their caregivers.

The relationship between wealth and child labor has been widely examined. This paper uses three rounds of time-series, cross-sectional data to examine the relationship between wealth and child labor and schooling. The paper finds that wealth is crucial in determining a child's activities, but that this factor is far from being a sufficient condition to enroll a child in school. This is particularly the case for rural girls. Nonparametric analysis shows a universal increase in school enrollment for rural girls from 1998 to 2006.

This paper presents evidence about the impact on school enrollment of a program in Ecuador that gives cash transfers to the 40 percent poorest families. The evaluation design allows the investigation of whether project impact varies with families’ poverty level. Among the poorest families in the study, the impact is positive while it is equal to zero for less poor households. This suggests that for the poorest families the program lifts a credit constraint, while this is not the case for families close to the eligibility threshold.

This paper uses quantitative and qualitative data collected through a survey among
entrepreneurs and apprentices in micro and small enterprises in Accra, Ghana, to analyse the
financial arrangements in informal apprenticeships. It discusses the relationship between the

A growing body of evidence suggests that conditional cash transfer (CCT) programs can have strong, positive effects on a range of welfare indicators for poor households in developing countries. However, the contribution of individual program components toward achieving these outcomes is not well understood.

This study evaluated an economic empowerment intervention to reduce HIV risks among orphaned children in Uganda. Children (n=97) were randomly assigned to receive an economic intervention or to a control arm. Data obtained at baseline and 12-month follow-up revealed differences on HIV prevention attitudes, educational plans, and child-caregiver relationship for intervention arm children relative to control children. Findings lend support to use of economic empowerment interventions for HIV risk reduction among orphaned children.

The Umsobomvu Youth Fund is a government agency tasked with supporting the growth and development of youth in South Africa, including improved livelihoods through employment and self-employment. Microfinance is just one of seven activities/strategies identified by UYF
to carry out its mission.

UYF has commissioned Vulindlela Development Finance Consultants to assist with the development of its delivery model for microfinance. As a first step, UYF has asked Vulindlela to prepare a paper on best practices, drawing on lessons from leading organizations in Africa.