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

42 Pages Posted: 29 Jan 2018 Last revised: 6 May 2020

See all articles by Abhijit V. Banerjee

Abhijit V. Banerjee

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Department of Economics

Dean S. Karlan

Yale University; Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management; Innovations for Poverty Action; Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL); National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Robert Darko Osei

University of Ghana - Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER)

Hannah Trachtman

Harvard College

Christopher Udry

Northwestern University

Multiple version iconThere are 3 versions of this paper

Date Written: January 2018

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: Development, poverty trap, social protection

JEL Classification: D12, O12, O17

Suggested Citation

Banerjee, Abhijit V. and Karlan, Dean S. and Karlan, Dean S. and Osei, Robert Darko and Trachtman, Hannah and Udry, Christopher, Unpacking a Multi-Faceted Program to Build Sustainable Income for the Very Poor (January 2018). CEPR Discussion Paper No. DP12653, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3112277

Abhijit V. Banerjee (Contact Author)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Department of Economics ( email )

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Dean S. Karlan

Yale University ( email )

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Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management ( email )

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) ( email )

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Robert Darko Osei

University of Ghana - Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) ( email )

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Hannah Trachtman

Harvard College ( email )

Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Christopher Udry

Northwestern University ( email )

2001 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208
United States

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