Involving Communities in the Targeting of Cash Transfer Programs for Vulnerable Children: Opportunities and Challenges

Laura Robertson, Phyllis Mushati, Morten Skovdal, Jeffrey W Eaton, Jeremiah C Makoni, Tom Crea, Gideon Mavise, Lovemore Dumba, Christina Schumacher, Lorraine Sherr, Constance Nyamukapa, Simon Gregson, Laura Robertson, Phyllis Mushati, Morten Skovdal, Jeffrey W Eaton, Jeremiah C Makoni, Tom Crea, Gideon Mavise, Lovemore Dumba, Christina Schumacher, Lorraine Sherr, Constance Nyamukapa, Simon Gregson

Abstract

We used baseline data, collected in July-September 2009, from a randomized controlled trial of a cash transfer program for vulnerable children in eastern Zimbabwe to investigate the effectiveness, coverage, and efficiency of census- and community-based targeting methods for reaching vulnerable children. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with beneficiaries and other stakeholders were used to explore community perspectives on targeting. Community members reported that their participation improved ownership and reduced conflict and jealousy. However, all the methods failed to target a large proportion of vulnerable children and there was poor agreement between the community- and census-based methods.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS; Zimbabwe; cash transfers; children; social welfare; sub-Saharan Africa.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of household-level wealth in Manicaland based on an asset-based wealth index and a participatory wealth ranking procedure (PWR)—(A) Wealth distribution of households caring for children less than 18 years (asset-based wealth index); N = 10,484; (B) Wealth distribution of households caring for children less than 18 years (PWR); N = 9,262); (C) Wealth distribution based on the asset-based wealth index broken down by the PWR wealth distribution; and (D) Wealth distribution based on PWR broken down by the asset-based wealth index (census) distribution.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparing the proportions of children with each poor outcome reached, by the asset-based wealth index and the PWR procedure, with the proportions of all children reached by each method. (A) Birth not registered among children 0–4 years, (B) incomplete vaccination record among children aged 0–4 years, (C) poor school attendance among children aged 6–12 years, and (D) poor school attendance among children aged 13–17 years. “Perfect” targeting assumes that only children with poor outcomes are targeted. No targeting assumes children are selected at random. Dots on the lines indicate the wealth quintiles or categories for the asset-based wealth index and PWR procedure, respectively.

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