BREAD Working Paper No. 533, February 2020

Unpacking a Multi-Faceted Program to Build Sustainable Income for the Very Poor

Abhijit Banerjee, Dean Karlan, Robert Osei, Hannah Trachtman, Christopher Udry

Abstract

A multi-faceted program comprising a grant of productive assets, training, coaching, and savings has been found to build sustainable income for those in extreme poverty. We focus on two important questions: whether a mere grant of productive assets would generate similar impacts (it does not), and whether access to a savings account and a deposit collection service would generate similar impacts (it does not).

Keywords: Poverty Alleviation, Returns to Capital

JEL Codes: O12, I38

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