The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of more than 900 researchers at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.
The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of more than 1,000 researchers at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.
Our affiliated professors are based at over 120 universities and conduct randomized evaluations around the world to design, evaluate, and improve programs and policies aimed at reducing poverty. They set their own research agendas, raise funds to support their evaluations, and work with J-PAL staff on research, policy outreach, and training.
Our research, policy, and training work is fundamentally better when it is informed by a broad range of perspectives.
Senior Operations Associate, J-PAL Africa
Leandra Palmer is the Senior Operations Associate for the DigiFI program.
Leandra has a bachelor's of commerce with honours in Financial institutions risk management from University of South Africa and a bachelor's of commerce in finance and information systems management from the University of the Western Cape.
Her latest role was in the University of Cape Town Department of Paediatrics where she was the assistant to the HOD, but she spent most of her career at Capitec Bank heading up the Pay date management department in their Credit division, giving her a good picture of the payments industry in South Africa from a corporate perspective.