scholarly journals Mobile-Based Nutrition Counseling and Unconditional Cash Transfers for Improving Maternal and Child Nutrition in Bangladesh: Pilot Study (Preprint)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanvir M Huda ◽  
Ashraful Alam ◽  
Tazeen Tahsina ◽  
Mohammad Mehedi Hasan ◽  
Jasmin Khan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Cash Transfers ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Nutrition Counseling ◽  
Intervention Package ◽  
Maternal And Child Nutrition ◽  
Voice Messaging ◽  
Unconditional Cash Transfers

BACKGROUND Inappropriate feeding practices, inadequate nutrition knowledge, and insufficient access to food are major risk factors for maternal and child undernutrition. There is evidence to suggest that the combination of cash transfer and nutrition education improves child growth. However, a cost-effective delivery platform is needed to achieve complete, population-wide coverage of these interventions. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and perceived appropriateness of an intervention package consisting of voice messaging, direct counseling, and unconditional cash transfers all on a mobile platform for changing perceptions on nutrition during pregnancy and the first year of a child’s life in a poor rural community in Bangladesh. METHODS We conducted a mixed-methods pilot study. We recruited 340 pregnant or recently delivered, lactating women from rural Bangladesh. The intervention consisted of an unconditional cash transfer combined with nutrition counseling, both delivered on a mobile platform. The participants received a mobile phone and BDT 787 per month (US $10). We used a voice messaging service to deliver nutrition-related messages. We provided additional nutrition counseling through a nutrition counselor from a call center. We carried out cross-sectional surveys at baseline and at the end of the study, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews with participants and their family members. RESULTS Approximately 89% (245/275) of participants reported that they were able to operate the mobile phones without much trouble. Charging of the mobile handsets posed some challenges since only approximately 45% (124/275) households in our study had electricity at home. Approximately 26% (72/275) women reported they had charged their mobile phones at their neighbor’s house, while 34% (94/275) reported that they charged it at a marketplace. Less than 10% (22/275) of women reported difficulties understanding the voice messages or direct counseling through mobile phones, while only 3% (8/275) of women reported they had some problems withdrawing cash from the mobile bank agent. Approximately 87% (236/275) women reported spending the cash to purchase food for themselves and their children. CONCLUSIONS The nature of our study precludes any conclusion about the effectiveness of the intervention package. However, the high coverage of our intervention and the positive feedback from the mothers were encouraging and support the feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness of this program. Further research is needed to determine the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of mobile-based nutrition counseling and unconditional cash transfers in improving maternal and child nutrition in Bangladesh.

scholarly journals Mobile-Based Nutrition Counseling and Unconditional Cash Transfers for Improving Maternal and Child Nutrition in Bangladesh: Pilot Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. e156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanvir M Huda ◽  
Ashraful Alam ◽  
Tazeen Tahsina ◽  
Mohammad Mehedi Hasan ◽  
Jasmin Khan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Cash Transfers ◽  
Nutrition Counseling ◽  
Maternal And Child Nutrition ◽  
Unconditional Cash Transfers

scholarly journals Shonjibon cash and counselling: a community-based cluster randomised controlled trial to measure the effectiveness of unconditional cash transfers and mobile behaviour change communications to reduce child undernutrition in rural Bangladesh

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanvir M. Huda ◽  
Ashraful Alam ◽  
Tazeen Tahsina ◽  
Mohammad Mehedi Hasan ◽  
Afrin Iqbal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Cash Transfers ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Child Undernutrition ◽  
Change Communication ◽  
Cluster Randomised ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
Unconditional Cash Transfers

Abstract Background Undernutrition is strongly associated with poverty - levels of undernutrition are higher in poor countries than in better-off countries. Social protection especially cash transfer is increasingly recognized as an important strategy to accelerate progress in improving maternal and child nutrition. A critical method to improve nutrition knowledge and influence feeding practices is through behaviour change communication intervention. The Shonjibon Cash and Counselling study aims to assess the effectiveness of unconditional cash transfers combined with a mobile application on nutrition counselling and direct counselling through mobile phone in reducing the prevalence of stunting in children at 18 months. Method The study is a longitudinal cluster randomised controlled trial, with two parallel groups, and cluster assignment by groups of villages. The cohort of mother-child dyads will be followed-up over the intervention period of approximately 24 months, starting from recruitment to 18 months of the child’s age. The study will take place in north-central Bangladesh. The primary trial outcome will be the percentage of stunted children at 18 m as measured in follow up assessments starting from birth. The secondary trial outcomes will include differences between treatment arms in (1) Mean birthweight, percentage with low birthweight and small for gestational age (2) Mean child length-for age, weight for age and weight-for-length Z scores (3) Prevalence of child wasting (4) Percentage of women exclusively breastfeeding and mean duration of exclusive breastfeeding (5) Percentage of children consuming > 4 food groups (6) Mean child intake of energy, protein, carbohydrate, fat and micronutrients (7) Percentage of women at risk of inadequate nutrient intakes in all three trimesters (8) Maternal weight gain (9) Household food security (10) Number of events for child suffering from diarrhoea, acute respiratory illness and fever (11) Average costs of mobile phone BCC and cash transfer, and benefit-cost ratio for primary and secondary outcomes. Discussion The proposed trial will provide high-level evidence of the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of mobile phone nutrition behavior change communication, combined with unconditional cash transfers in reducing child undernutrition in rural Bangladesh. Trial registration The study has been registered in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12618001975280).

scholarly journals Cash Transfers and Child Nutrition: Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oladayo Nathaniel Awojobi
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Randomised Controlled Trials ◽  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Cash Transfers ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
Nutritional Outcomes

This paper summarises the arguments and counterarguments within the scientific discussion on cash transfers and child nutrition. The main purpose of the research is to assess the effectiveness of cash transfers in improving nutritional outcomes in vulnerable children in sub-Saharan Africa. Systematisation of the literary sources indicates that studies have justified cash transfer as social-income support that addresses a vital social determinant of health (income) for children in low-and-middle-income countries. The methodological basis of this study is a systematic review that searched a wide range of academic and grey literature databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. This study included cluster-randomised controlled trials (R.C.T.s), randomised controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, mixed-methods studies, and non-randomised cluster trials. Studies included in this systematic review were screened for their eligibility. The systematic review uses the Cochrane data collection form to extract data from the included studies. It was not feasible to statistically combine the results of the studies due to the heterogeneity of most of the studies. Preferably, the review employs a narrative synthesis to present the estimated effects of cash transfers on children’s nutritional outcomes. The systematic review presents the results of data synthesis, of which eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the evidence from the systematic review indicates that cash transfer programmes targeted at children effectively improve anthropometric and nutritional outcomes. Further research is needed to spell out the multiple pathways to how cash transfers improve children’s nutritional outcomes. Moreover, this systematic review shows the importance of cash transfers in improving child nutrition. Policymakers should continue to employ institutional mechanisms to strengthen the nutritional status of children, especially the vulnerable ones since cash transfer intervention is a temporary measure.

scholarly journals The Determinant of Participation in The Social Activities: Case in Indonesia

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-200
Author(s):  
Bayu Kharisma
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Cash Transfers ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Influential Factor ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
The Social ◽  
Credit Association ◽  
Unconditional Cash Transfers ◽  
The Impact

One of the most issues debated in the social capital literature is the unconditional cash transfer effect on social capital, especially regarding the potential of unmeasured targeted mechanisms at the community level about social relations. This article aims to identify the determinant of social capital in the form of household participation in social activities and the impact of unconditional cash transfers (BLT) on participation in social activities in Indonesia by using differences-differences approach (DID). The results showed that the most influential factor on household participation in social activities is the education level of the head of the household and the members of the productive age group. Meanwhile, unconditional cash transfers policy has a positive effect on the rotating saving and credit association. Thus, participation in social activities undertaken by the community undoubtedly has an important element in the success of government programs.DOI: 10.15408/sjie.v7i2.7365

scholarly journals The Potential for a Conditional Cash Transfer Program in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Impact Maternal and Child Nutrition: An Exploration of Facilitating and Limiting Factors (P10-148-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Demewoz Woldegebreal ◽  
Stephen Vosti ◽  
Reina Engle-Stone
Keyword(s):  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Addis Ababa ◽  
Conditional Cash Transfer ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Limiting Factors ◽  
Transfer Program ◽  
Under Five ◽  
Maternal And Child Nutrition ◽  
Nutrition Programs ◽  
Conditional Cash Transfer Program

Abstract Objectives To identify facilitating and limiting factors that could affect the potential impacts on maternal and child nutrition of the Ethiopian urban conditional cash transfer program. Methods An exploratory qualitative study was conducted among the beneficiaries of the Ethiopian urban conditional cash transfer program (urban Productive Safety Net Program, urban PSNP) and key informants (program administrators and stakeholders). Eight focus group discussions (FGD), seven in-depth interviews, and eleven key informant interviews were conducted in five sub-cities of Addis Ababa. Coding was facilitated by NVivo 12 software. Results A substantial number of pregnant, lactating, and women with children under five years of age are beneficiaries of the urban PSNP. Beneficiaries reported that the majority of the money received from the program was spent on food (mostly on staples) and rent. FGD participants and key informants believed that the amount of cash provided by the PSNP program was too small to improve maternal and child nutrition. The conditional urban PSNP involves working an assigned job and beneficiaries are required to save 20% of the cash from the PSNP program, but no nutrition-specific conditions are imposed. Household barriers identified by interviewees included: low autonomy among women to use the cash transferred, and the size of the cash transfer (based on a family of 4) relative to actual family size. Programmatic facilitating factors were: existing national nutrition initiatives (National Nutrition program) that could be linked with the urban PSNP, urban PSNP organizational structure (i.e., the existence of urban PSNP peer support groups) initiatives to engage the PSNP beneficiaries in nutrition-sensitive jobs (e.g., urban agriculture), and targeting the cash transfer to poor households having a child under five years of age. Conclusions If strengthened and modified, the urban PSNP has the potential to improve maternal and child nutrition in Ethiopia. This impact can be strengthened by collaborating with ongoing and planned nutrition programs (e.g., Ministry of Health). Further study of the effects and cost-effectiveness of including alternative maternal and child nutrition programs in the current urban PSNP is recommended. Funding Sources UC Davis Blum Center for Developing Economies and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

scholarly journals Conditional and Unconditional Cash Transfers: Implications for Gender

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karine Levasseur ◽  
Stephanie Paterson ◽  
Nathalia Carvalho Moreira
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Social Vulnerability ◽  
Conditional Cash Transfer ◽  
Cash Transfers ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Policy Goal ◽  
Social Marginalization ◽  
Bolsa Familia ◽  
Unconditional Cash Transfers ◽  
Unconditional Cash Transfer

Abstract Solving poverty is a laudable public policy goal. While there are many approaches, one that has gained popularity is the conditional cash transfer that requires recipients to satisfy conditions imposed on them such as requiring regular medical checkups. Another approach, which is gaining interest is unconditional cash transfers that do not impose conditions. The question we ask in this paper is: what do these past and current attempts tell us about the implications for gender? To answer this question, we explore two programs using a gendered framework: Brazil's Bolsa Familia,which is a conditional cash transfer, and Manitoba's Mincome experiment, which was an unconditional cash transfer in Canada. We then consider how this information might be used by states, particularly as it relates to ending social marginalization. Broadly, this research contributes to academic discussions of public policy, income, gender and social vulnerability.

Pilot projects and experiments

2018 ◽  
pp. 127-144
Author(s):  
Malcolm Torry
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Project ◽  
Cash Transfers ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Basic Income ◽  
Pilot Projects ◽  
Cash Payment ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Transfers ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Unconditional Cash Transfers

This chapter describes a number of Citizen's Basic Income pilot projects and other experiments. It first considers the social dividend (a form of Citizen's Basic Income) distributed in Alaska, known as Alaska Permanent Fund dividend. The dividend has increased personal income, and therefore consumption and employment. The chapter then turns to Iran's cash transfer programme, which replaced subsidies on food and fuel with an unconditional cash payment of about US$40 per month to every individual. It then examines the pilot project in Namibia, which disproved the critics of unconditional cash transfers. It also discusses the pilot projects in India, and in particular the establishment of an unconditional cash benefit as an entirely pragmatic measure; social transfers in Latin America and elsewhere; and several experiments at various stages of planning or implementation. Finally, it asks whether it is possible to launch a Citizen's Basic Income pilot project in the UK.

Do donors matter most? An analysis of conditional cash transfer adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua P Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Economies ◽  
Conditional Cash Transfer ◽  
Cash Transfers ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
The World Bank ◽  
Donor Support ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Unconditional Cash Transfers

Cash transfers, both conditional and unconditional, have become increasingly popular in emerging economies, but relatively little research investigates the types of countries most likely to adopt this form of social assistance. A notable exception is a study by Brooks, which concludes that conditional cash transfers (CCTs) are more likely to be adopted by divided governments and in places where neighbouring, democratic countries have already implemented them. This comparative research tests Brooks’ findings in the context of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and finds that they largely do not apply. Instead, programme funder is offered as a better explanation of cash transfer adoption in SSA from 1990 to 2011. The results show that CCTs are adopted in poor African countries with financial support from the World Bank, while unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) are adopted across a range of countries with the support of various donors. This research contributes to the literature by showing quantitatively that donor support may be more important than some domestic factors, such as bureaucratic capacity, for understanding CCT implementation in SSA.

scholarly journals “In the past, the seeds I planted often didn’t grow.” A Mixed-Methods Feasibility Assessment of Integrating Agriculture and Nutrition Behaviour Change Interventions with Cash Transfers in Rural Bangladesh

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 4153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashraful Alam ◽  
Wajiha Khatun ◽  
Mansura Khanam ◽  
Gulshan Ara ◽  
Anowarul Bokshi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Behaviour Change ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Cash Transfers ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Intervention Package ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Rural Bangladesh ◽  
Home Gardening

Combining agriculture with behaviour change communication and other nutrition-sensitive interventions could improve feeding practices to reduce maternal and child undernutrition. Such integrated intervention requires rigorous design and an appropriate implementation strategy to generate an impact. We assessed feasibility and acceptability of an intervention package that combines nutrition counselling, counselling and support for home-gardening, and unconditional cash transfers delivered to women on a mobile platform for improving maternal and child nutrition behaviours among low-income families in rural Bangladesh. We used mixed-methods including in-depth interviews with women (20), key-informant interviews with project workers (6), and a cross sectional survey of women (60). Women well-accepted the intervention and reported to be benefited by acquiring new skills and information on home gardening and nutrition. They established homestead gardens of seasonal vegetables successfully and were able to find a solution for major challenges. All women received the cash transfer. Ninety-one percent of women spent the cash for buying foods, 20% spent it on purchasing seeds or fertilizers and 57% used it for medical and livelihood purchases. Project staff and mobile banking agent reported no difficulty in cash transfer. Combining nutrition-specific and -sensitive interventions is a feasible and acceptable approach. Using mobile technologies can provide additional benefits for the intervention to reach the disadvantage families in rural settings.

scholarly journals The gender, social and cultural influences on the management and use of unconditional cash transfers in Niger: a qualitative study

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 1657-1665 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Scott ◽  
Caroline Marquer ◽  
Fatou Berthe ◽  
Eric-Alain Ategbo ◽  
Rebecca F Grais ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
Cash Transfers ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Unconditional Cash Transfers

AbstractObjectiveThe current qualitative study aimed to identify gender, social and cultural influences on the management and use of unconditional cash transfers as part of a prospective intervention study in Niger.DesignIn February to March 2012, focus group discussions and semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with female caregivers of children aged 6 to 23 months who received unconditional cash transfers. Discussion and interview transcripts were analysed using content thematic analysis.SettingThe study was conducted in the Madarounfa district in Maradi region of Niger.SubjectsAmong forty-eight intervention villages, fourteen were selected for the qualitative study. Participants were randomly selected from eligible households.ResultsIn total, 124 women participated in focus group discussions or interviews. The majority reported giving the cash transfer to the male head of household who primarily managed cash at the household level. Women reported using a portion of the money to purchase foods for the target child. Feeding the household was the primary use of the cash transfer, followed by health care, clothing, gifts or ceremonies.ConclusionsGender, social and cultural norms influenced management and usage of the cash transfer at the household level. The results highlight the importance of integrating gender-sensitive indicators into interventions. Information and awareness sessions should be an integral component of large-scale distributions with a special emphasis on gender equality and the importance of women’s empowerment to improve agriculture and family health.

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