How parental participation in public work programs could affect kids’ health and schooling in LMICs
Official title: Effects of parents' participation in public work programs on children's health and education in select low- and middle-income countries
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11400976 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant tests how parents’ involvement in government cash-for-work programs might influence children’s health, learning, and well-being in several low- and middle-income countries.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $409,374 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD118114-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11400976 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are households with children aged 0-14 in LMICs where a public work program is active and participation is voluntary.
✕Less likely to help
Households not selected for PWPs or in contexts where PWPs do not influence child outcomes may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
Public work programs provide temporary cash and local infrastructure. The project will use existing data from six large experiments in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East/North Africa to look at short-term effects on children’s education and work. It will also collect new data on health, cognitive and non-cognitive skills, time use, and labor activity to assess medium-term impacts for kids exposed in early childhood or school age. The researchers aim to understand how family participation in PWPs translates into outcomes for children as they grow.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide policymakers on how PWPs affect child development and education, potentially improving program design to benefit families.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies show short-run adult effects; this project adds direct evidence on children and longer-term outcomes.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mvukiyehe, Eric — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Mvukiyehe, Eric
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How parents' public work programs affect children's health and learning in LMICs
A study will look at how families' participation in government cash-for-work programs influences kids’ health, education, and well-being in several low- and middle-income countries.
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How parents' participation in public work programs may affect children's health and education in low- and middle-income countries
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.