Final Impact Evaluation of the Saving for Change Program in Mali 2009-2012

OXFAM AMERICA Evaluation Report FINAL IMPACT EVALUATION OF THE SAVING FOR CHANGE PROGRAM IN MALI 2009-2012 Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology, University of Arizona Innovations for Poverty Action April 3, 2013 OXFAM AMERICA Evaluation Report To promote both accountability and learning, Oxfam will share evaluation conclusions and recommendations with relevant stakeholders, both within the Oxfam system and externally in accessible language and ensuring that stakeholders have an opportunity to participate in discussion of those results in meaningful ways. In addition, to ensure transparency, Oxfam will publish the evaluation reports on our webpage. As a rights-based organization, accountability, particularly to the communities we seek to serve, is of the highest importance to us. For Oxfam, accountability requires Oxfam to regularly and honestly assess the quality of its work, share and learn from its findings with primary stakeholders, and apply that learning in future work. This is an evaluation of Oxfam America’s Saving for Change Program. The program has been operating in Cambodia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mali and Senegal since 2005 and this evaluation covers the work undertaken between 2009 and 2012 within Mali. The evaluation was commissioned by Oxfam America and Freedom from Hunger with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The evaluation process was managed by Janina Matuszeski, PhD, Senior Research Coordinator from Oxfam America. The major evaluation activities took place between 2009 and 2012 in Mali. The evaluation was carried out by the Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology at the University of Arizona and Innovations for Poverty Action and reflects the findings as reported by them in validation with stakeholders. For additional information regarding the evaluation Terms of Reference, please refer to the report appendices. FINAL IMPACT EVALUATION OF THE SAVING FOR CHANGE PROGRAM IN MALI, 2009-2012 Malian women living in the study area. Photograph by Sarah Custer. Submitted by: Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology, University of Arizona Innovations for Poverty Action Commissioned by Oxfam America and Freedom from Hunger Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation April 3, 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................................................... 5 LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................................................... 7 LIST OF ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................................... 8 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................................... 10 1. Program Background .......................................................................................................................................... 10 2. Research Objectives and Methodology .............................................................................................................. 11 Quantitative methodology (IPA) ........................................................................................................................ 12 Qualitative Methodology (BARA) ....................................................................................................................... 12 3. Summary of Overall Findings .............................................................................................................................. 13 4. Recommendations .............................................................................................................................................. 15 5. Report Structure ................................................................................................................................................. 15 I. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................. 166 1. Background on the Saving for Change program ............................................................................................... 166 2. Research methodology overview...................................................................................................................... 211 II. SUMMARY OF QUANTITATIVE FINDINGS (INNOVATIONS for POVERTY ACTION) ............................................. 24 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 24 Research questions ............................................................................................................................................ 24 Participation .................................................................................................................................................. 24 Impact ........................................................................................................................................................... 24 Replication ..................................................................................................................................................... 25 Design and sample information ......................................................................................................................... 25 Background research ................................................................................................................................... 266 Quantitative evaluation methodology .......................................................................................................... 26 Data Collection ................................................................................................................................................... 29 2. Baseline descriptive statistics and balance check ............................................................................................. 322 Balance check ................................................................................................................................................... 322 Descriptive Statistics .......................................................................................................................................... 33 3. Adoption ............................................................................................................................................................. 35 Adoption rates ................................................................................................................................................... 35 Characteristics of adopters ............................................................................................................................ 3737 Adopters vs non-adopters ............................................................................................................................. 37 Early vs. late adopters ................................................................................................................................... 40 4. Use of SfC ............................................................................................................................................................ 41 Share-outs ........................................................................................................................................................ 422 Loans .................................................................................................................................................................. 42 1 5. Impacts of SfC ..................................................................................................................................................... 44 Empirical strategy............................................................................................................................................. 444 Financial Management ..................................................................................................................................... 455 Health, shocks and food security ....................................................................................................................... 47 Health expenses............................................................................................................................................. 47 Shocks ............................................................................................................................................................ 47 Food security ............................................................................................................................................. 4848 Malaria ............................................................................................................................................................... 50 Investment and economic activities .................................................................................................................. 51 Education ..................................................................................................................................................... 511 Businesses ...................................................................................................................................................

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