The SUUBI Program: Asset-Ownership for Orphaned Children in Uganda (SUUBI)

The SUUBI Program: Creating Asset-Ownership Opportunities and Health Promotion Among Orphaned Children in Uganda

This study examines an economic empowerment model of care and support for orphaned adolescents in rural Uganda. The Suubi intervention focuses on economic empowerment of families caring for orphaned youths. It attempts to address the health risks and poor educational achievements resulting from poverty and limited options.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Poverty
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Children's development account

Detailed Description

The AIDS epidemic and a 20-year civil war have had a devastating impact on Uganda. The events have led to population displacement, worsening living conditions, exacerbation of poverty, and disruption of already weakened social service systems. As implemented, the Suubi Project goes considerably beyond the usual care, which primarily consists of institutionalization and reactive strategies (involving food and material aid). Specifically, the intervention promotes children's savings accounts, also known as children development accounts, for postprimary education and microenterprise development (i.e., development of small income-generating businesses).

The Suubi intervention is grounded in asset theory (Sherraden 1990, 1991), which holds that assets (e.g., savings, educational opportunities, and economic opportunities in the form of income-generating activities or microenterprises) have important economic, social, and psychological benefits for individuals and families. Asset building is increasingly viewed as a critical factor for reducing poverty, improving psychosocial functioning, and positively affecting attitudes and behaviors.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 286
• Phase: Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Uganda
  • Rakai, Uganda
    • St. Joseph's Matale Parish

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 11 years to 17 years (CHILD)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• an orphaned child, defined as a child who has lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS; enrolled in primary school (even though possibly not attending regularly); between the ages of 12 to 15 years.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: PREVENTION
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: PARALLEL
• Masking: SINGLE

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Savings and asset-accumulation	past experience, current savings, and attitudes toward saving	baseline, 10-month and 20-month post-intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Sexual risk taking	Sexual risk taking behavior (history and onset of sexual intercourse), Intentions to engage in sexual risk behaviors	baseline, 10-month and 20-month post-intervention
Educational outcomes	School enrollment, School attendance, School grades, Educational aspirations	baseline, 10-month, and 20-month post-intervention
Mental health	Self-esteem, depression, hopelessness, helplessness	baseline, 10-month and 20-month post-intervention
Social and family support	Emotional support from caregivers, practical assistance, financial assistance and advice/guidance, and family communication	baseline, 10-month and 20-month post-intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Columbia University
• Collaborators: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Ssewamala FM, Ismayilova L, McKay M, Sperber E, Bannon W Jr, Alicea S. Gender and the effects of an economic empowerment program on attitudes toward sexual risk-taking among AIDS-orphaned adolescent youth in Uganda. J Adolesc Health. 2010 Apr;46(4):372-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.08.010.
• Ssewamala FM, Han CK, Neilands TB, Ismayilova L, Sperber E. Effect of economic assets on sexual risk-taking intentions among orphaned adolescents in Uganda. Am J Public Health. 2010 Mar;100(3):483-8. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2008.158840. Epub 2010 Jan 14.
• Ssewamala FM, Han CK, Neilands TB. Asset ownership and health and mental health functioning among AIDS-orphaned adolescents: findings from a randomized clinical trial in rural Uganda. Soc Sci Med. 2009 Jul;69(2):191-8. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.05.019. Epub 2009 Jun 10.
• Ssewamala FM, Alicea S, Bannon WM Jr, Ismayilova L. A novel economic intervention to reduce HIV risks among school-going AIDS orphans in rural Uganda. J Adolesc Health. 2008 Jan;42(1):102-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.08.011.
• Ismayilova L, Ssewamala FM, Karimli L. Family support as a mediator of change in sexual risk-taking attitudes among orphaned adolescents in rural Uganda. J Adolesc Health. 2012 Mar;50(3):228-35. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.06.008. Epub 2011 Aug 27.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: June 1, 2005
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): June 1, 2008
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): January 1, 2009

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 14, 2010
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 15, 2010
• First Posted (ESTIMATE): July 16, 2010

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE): March 14, 2014
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 13, 2014
• Last Verified: March 1, 2014

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: economic empowerment model, orphans, sub-Saharan Africa
• Other Study ID Numbers: AAAA5337; R21MH076475-01 (NIH)