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Does International Child Sponsorship Work? A Six-Country Study of Impacts on Adult Life Outcomes

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  • Bruce Wydick
  • Paul Glewwe
  • Laine Rutledge

Abstract

Child sponsorship is a leading form of direct aid from wealthy country households to children in developing countries. Over 9 million children are supported through international sponsorship organizations. Using data from six countries, we estimate impacts on several outcomes from sponsorship through Compassion International, a leading child sponsorship organization. To identify program effects, we utilize an age-eligibility rule implemented when programs began in new villages. We find large, statistically significant impacts on years of schooling; primary, secondary, and tertiary school completion; and the probability and quality of employment. Early evidence suggests that these impacts are due, in part, to increases in children's aspirations.

Suggested Citation

  • Bruce Wydick & Paul Glewwe & Laine Rutledge, 2013. "Does International Child Sponsorship Work? A Six-Country Study of Impacts on Adult Life Outcomes," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 121(2), pages 393-436.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jpolec:doi:10.1086/670138
    DOI: 10.1086/670138
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    Cited by:

    1. Karen Macours & Renos Vakis, 2017. "Sustaining Impacts When Transfers End: Women Leaders, Aspirations, and Investments in Children," NBER Chapters, in: The Economics of Poverty Traps, pages 325-355, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Bruce Wydick & Paul Glewwe & Laine Rutledge, 2017. "Does Child Sponsorship Pay off in Adulthood? An International Study of Impacts on Income and Wealth," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 31(2), pages 434-458.
    3. Katrina Kosec & Kamiljon Akramov & Bakhrom Mirkasimov & Jie Song & Hongdi Zhao, 2022. "Aspirations and women's empowerment: Evidence from Kyrgyzstan," Economics of Transition and Institutional Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(1), pages 101-134, January.
    4. Böhme, Marcus H. & Glaser, Toni, 2014. "Migration experience, aspirations and the brain drain theory and empirical evidence," Kiel Working Papers 1956, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    5. Anja Tolonen, 2019. "Endogenous Gender Roles: Evidence from Africa’s Gold Mining Industry," OxCarre Working Papers 209, Oxford Centre for the Analysis of Resource Rich Economies, University of Oxford.
    6. Clemens, Michael A. & Pritchett, Lant, 2019. "The new economic case for migration restrictions: An assessment," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 153-164.
    7. Lucia Rizzica, 2018. "Raising aspirations and higher education: evidence from the UK’s Widening Participation policy," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1188, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    8. Dercon, Stefan & Orkin, Kate & Bernard, Tanguy & Taffesse, Alemayehu, 2014. "The Future in Mind: Aspirations and Forward-Looking Behaviour in Rural Ethiopia," CEPR Discussion Papers 10224, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    9. Andrés Moya & Michael Carter, 2014. "Violence and the Formation of Hopelessness and Pessimistic Prospects of Upward Mobility in Colombia," NBER Working Papers 20463, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Travis J. Lybbert & Bruce Wydick, 2017. "Hope as Aspirations, Agency, and Pathways: Poverty Dynamics and Microfinance in Oaxaca, Mexico," NBER Chapters, in: The Economics of Poverty Traps, pages 153-177, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Sarah Baird & Ephraim Chirwa & Jacobus de Hoop & Berk Özler, 2014. "Girl Power: Cash Transfers and Adolescent Welfare: Evidence from a Cluster-Randomized Experiment in Malawi," NBER Chapters, in: African Successes, Volume II: Human Capital, pages 139-164, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    13. Faradilla Rahma Sari & Diyah Putriani & Wisnu Setiadi Nugroho, 2023. "Does Conditional Cash Transfer Have a Lasting Impact?: Evidence from Indonesia," Gadjah Mada Economics Working Paper Series 202312011, Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada.
    14. Bolbocean, Corneliu & Tylavsky, Frances A., 2021. "The impact of safety net programs on early-life developmental outcomes," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    15. Richard Akresh & Daniel Halim & Marieke Kleemans, 2023. "Long-Term and Intergenerational Effects of Education: Evidence from School Construction in Indonesia," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 133(650), pages 582-612.
    16. Ross, Phillip H. & Glewwe, Paul & Prudencio, Daniel & Wydick, Bruce, 2021. "Developing educational and vocational aspirations through international child sponsorship: Evidence from Kenya, Indonesia, and Mexico," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    17. González Amador, Michelle & Cowan, Robin & Nillesen, Eleonora, 2022. "Peer networks and malleability of educational aspirations," MERIT Working Papers 2022-028, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    18. Stephen Smith, 2018. "Development Economics Meets the Challenges of Lagging U.S. Areas: Applications to Education, Health and Nutrition, Behavior, and Infrastructure," Working Papers 2018-7, The George Washington University, Institute for International Economic Policy.
    19. Lionel Jeusette & Philip Verwimp, 2017. "Childhood Aspirations, Occupational Outcomes and Exposure to Violence: Evidence from Burundi," Working Papers ECARES ECARES 2017-26, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    20. Clemens, Michael & Pritchett, Lant, 2016. "The New Case for Migration Restrictions: An Assessment," Working Paper Series rwp16-054, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
    21. Burlando, Alfredo, 2023. "Tuition fees and the intra-household allocation of schooling: Evidence from Uganda’s Free Primary Education reform," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    22. Francesca Marchetta & Tom Dilly, 2019. "Supporting Education in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges for an Impact Investor," Working Papers hal-02288103, HAL.
    23. Tabe-Ojong, Martin Paul Jr. & Nshakira-Rukundo, Emmanuel, 2021. "Religiosity and parental educational aspirations for children in Kenya," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 23(C).

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