Evaluating the impact of community-based interventions on schooling outcomes among orphans and vulnerable children in Lusaka, Zambia

Minki Chatterji, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.
Nancy Murray, Futures Group International
Kathy Buek, Futures Group Europe
Yvonne Mulenga, Project Concern International
Tom Ventimiglia, Project Concern International
Paul Hutchinson, Tulane University

Worldwide, the number of children under age 18 who have lost one or both parents to AIDS stands at more than 14.3 million. The vast majority of these children live in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the recognition of the magnitude and negative consequences of this problem, there is little empirical evidence on “what works” to improve schooling outcomes among children affected by HIV and AIDS. To fill this knowledge gap, we investigate whether a community-based program for orphans and vulnerable children implemented by a local Zambian NGO in peri-urban Lusaka improves schooling outcomes among program beneficiaries. We examine our two waves of data, collected by the USAID-funded Community REACH project in 2003 and MEASURE Evaluation project in 2006, by using pooled cross-sectional and longitudinal data analysis methods. Both models include explanatory variables such as household socio-economic status, orphanhood status, and relationship to caregiver. Longitudinal analyses will be stratified by sex.