How parents' participation in public work programs may affect children's health and education in low- and middle-income countries
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-11478481 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study at Duke University will look at how families in poor countries who join public work programs might influence their children’s health, schooling, and well-being.
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) | $168,020 |
| NIH project number | 3R01HD118114-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11478481 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are families in LMICs enrolled in or affected by public work programs, and children aged from birth up to 14 years in those households.
✕Less likely to help
Families not involved in PWPs or not experiencing exposure during critical child-development windows may see little to no direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project will use data from six large public-work experiments in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East to see how children are affected while their families participate in public works. It will also collect new data on children’s health, cognitive and non-cognitive skills, and time use to understand medium-term effects when exposure occurs at different life stages. By following households over time, researchers hope to link parents’ participation in PWPs with outcomes for early childhood and school-age children. The findings could help policymakers design programs that support both families and children's development.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could guide better-targeted public work programs that support children's education and health in LMICs.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show mixed short-term effects on adults; this project adds child-focused evidence with new data collection.
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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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.