Half-Cost Graduation Program in Egypt

This project tests the effectiveness of a low-cost version of the classic graduation program for very low-income households. One treatment group gets the standard program, while a second treatment group gets a similarly structured program but at half cost. The second treatment group gets an asset worth half as much as the full-cost group, half as much consumption support, half as much training and counseling, etc. The researchers implemented this experiment in a sample of about 3,500 households in Southern Egypt. They have collected 18-month and 36-month follow up surveys and are seeking funding to cover a 60-month follow up. The Covid-19 pandemic bisected implementation, with about half of the sample receiving the intervention before the pandemic and the other half receiving it about six months later. Preliminary results suggest that the half-cost arm is about half as effective as the full-cost arm, but it is unclear if results fade faster for this group.