A successful strategy to reduce poverty in developing nations has been the use of conditional cash transfer (CCT) programs. CCTs attempt to reduce poverty while also changing behavior and building human capital by providing families with cash in exchange for certain requirements, such as enrolling their children in school. These incentives have been employed … [Read more...] about Lessons from Honduras’ CTT program: conditionalities matter
Health
When Cholera Strikes: A Coordinated Emergency and Longer-Term Response
by Meri Helleranta A rapid response and partnerships between the Haitian Government and key institutions, including the IDB, helped to curb the cholera epidemic, decreasing the number of new cases per week from 14,000 in January 2011 to fewer than 1,000 a year later. Five years ago, in October 2010, Haiti was hit by a serious cholera epidemic. Coming only nine months … [Read more...] about When Cholera Strikes: A Coordinated Emergency and Longer-Term Response
Enhanced Conditional Cash Transfers to Boost Health
By Sandro Parodi The Dominican Republic Adjusts its Solidaridad Program to Help the Poor Conditional cash transfers programs have proven over the years to be an effective tool to reduce poverty and inequality in the short term. The transfer program in the Dominican Republic introduced in 2005, known as Solidaridad, has had just such positive effects on health, improving the … [Read more...] about Enhanced Conditional Cash Transfers to Boost Health
Findings of Early Childhood Programs in 19 Countries
By Maria Caridad Araujo The quality of care and interaction during the first five years of life has a major impact on childhood development and is a critical determinant of a child’s future health, behavior, and intellectual abilities. In Latin America and the Caribbean, access to early childhood programs has increased over the past two decades, particularly for the poor, … [Read more...] about Findings of Early Childhood Programs in 19 Countries
Combating Tropical Diseases with Early Detection and Treatment
By Ignez Tristão In the shantytown of Alto do Carroceiro in Recife, Brazil’s fifth largest city, 10-year old Emily Eduarda Belo de Oliveira dreams of one day becoming a teacher, even as she helps her mom take care of four other siblings in their one-bedroom, windowless home. And being poor is not Emily’s only hurdle: she also has leprosy, a disease that, if left untreated, … [Read more...] about Combating Tropical Diseases with Early Detection and Treatment