Ghana
Ghana’s Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP) programme
| Year Programme Began: | 2008 |
| Implementing Ministry: | Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection |
| Target Group: | Extreme poor with elderly, disabled or, OVC member |
| Conditions: | Expected, but not monitored |
| Approximate Reach (as of 2015): | 150,000 households (2015) |
The Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP) programme provides cash and health insurance to extremely poor households across Ghana to alleviate short-term poverty and encourage long term human capital development. LEAP started a trial phase in March 2008 and then began expanding gradually in 2009 and 2010. As of early 2015, the program reaches over 90,000 households across Ghana. It is the flagship program of Ghana’s National Social Protection Strategy and is implemented by the Department of Social Welfare (DSW) in the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP).
Eligibility is based on poverty and having a household member in at least one of three demographic categories; single parent with orphan or vulnerable child (OVC), elderly poor, or person with extreme disability unable to work (PWD). Initial selection of households is done through a community based process and is verified centrally with a proxy means test. An exciting feature of LEAP, unique in the world, is that aside from direct cash payments, beneficiaries are provided free health insurance through the new National Health Insurance Scheme which began in 2004-05. This is facilitated through a memorandum of understanding between the MoGCSP and Ministry of Health; funds to cover enrollment in health insurance are transferred directly to the local health authority who then issues cards to LEAP households. Continued receipt of cash payments from LEAP is conditional on a health insurance card.
LEAP 1000
| Year Programme Began: | 2015-2017 |
| Implementing Ministry: | Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection |
| Target Group: | Households with pregnant women and infants |
| Conditions: | Expected, but not monitored |
| Approximate Reach (as of 2015): | 6,000 households (2015-2017) |
The targeting approach of LEAP, focused on households with orphans and vulnerable children and the elderly poor and disabled, leads to very few eligible families with young children. In response, the Government of Ghana, in partnership with UNICEF Ghana and USAID, has developed LEAP 1000, an expansion of LEAP to households with pregnant women and infants. Targeting children in the first 1000 days of their life is expected to improve child nutritional status and reduce stunting in Ghana. This pilot intervention, being rolled out in 10 districts in Northern Ghana, targets 6,000 households and consists of bi-monthly cash transfers delivered to eligible women and enrolment in the national health insurance scheme. The pilot is expected to run for three years (2015 – 2017).
| Type | Title | Theme(s) | Year | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Journal Article | Impacts of cash transfer and “cash plus” programs on self- perceived stress in Africa: Evidence from Ghana, Malawi, and Tanzania | Cash Plus Programmes; Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being; Resilience and Productive Impacts | 2023 | John Maara, Cristina Cirillo, Gustavo Angeles, Leah Prencipe, Marlous deMilliano, Sarah M. Lima, Tia Palermo, Impacts of cash transfer and “cash plus” programs on self- perceived stress in Africa: Evidence from Ghana, Malawi, and Tanzania, SSM – Population Health,Volume 22, 2023, 101403, ISSN 2352-8273, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2023.101403. |
| Journal Article | ‘Joy, not sorrow’: Men's perspectives on gender, violence, and cash transfers targeted to women in northern Ghana | Cash Plus Programmes; Gender and Gender-Based Violence; Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being; Poverty Reduction and Food Security; Programme Evaluation and Design | 2023 | N/A |
| Journal Article | Health services availability and readiness moderate cash transfer impacts on health insurance enrolment: evidence from the LEAP 1000 cash transfer program in Ghana | Cash Plus Programmes; Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being | 2022 | N/A |
| Journal Article | The impact of cash and health insurance on child nutrition during the first 1000 days: Evidence from Ghana | Cash Plus Programmes; Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being; Poverty Reduction and Food Security | 2022 | de Groot, Richard & Yablonski, Jennifer & Valli, Elsa, 2022. “The impact of cash and health insurance on child nutrition during the first 1000 days: Evidence from Ghana,” Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C). |
| Journal Article | The impact of unconditional cash transfers on morbidity and health-seeking behaviour in Africa: evidence from Ghana,Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabw | Cash Plus Programmes; Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being | 2022 | Jacob Novignon, Leah Prencipe, Adria Molotsky, Elsa Valli, Richard de Groot, Clement Adamba, Tia Palermo, The impact of unconditional cash transfers on morbidity and health-seeking behaviour in Africa: evidence from Ghana,Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, Health Policy and Planning, 2022;, czac014, https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czac014 |
| Journal Article | Government Antipoverty Programming and Intimate Partner Violence in Ghana | Gender and Gender-Based Violence | 2021 | Peterman, A., Valli, E., & Palermo, T. M. (2021). Government anti-poverty programming and intimate partner violence in Ghana. Economic Development and Cultural Change 70 (1), https://doi.org/10.1086/713767 |
| Journal Article | ‘Poverty can break a home’: Exploring mechanisms linking cash plus programming and intimate partner violence in Ghana | Cash Plus Programmes; Gender and Gender-Based Violence | 2021 | Barrington C., Peterman A., Akaligaung A. J., Palermo T., de Milliano M., Aborigo R. A., ‘Poverty can break a home’: Exploring mechanisms linking cash plus programming and intimate partner violence in Ghana, Social Science & Medicine, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114521. |
| Journal Article | More Evidence on the Impact of Government Social Protection in Sub Saharan Africa: Ghana, Malawi and Zimbabwe | Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being; Poverty Reduction and Food Security | 2021 | Handa, S., Otchere, F., Sirma, P. and (2021), More Evidence on the Impact of Government Social Protection in Sub Saharan Africa: Ghana, Malawi and Zimbabwe. Dev Policy Rev. Accepted Author Manuscript. https://doi.org/10.1111/dpr.12576 |
| Journal Article | Urban cash transfers and poverty in Ghana | Cash Plus Programmes; Poverty Reduction and Food Security | 2021 | , & (2021). Urban cash transfers and poverty in Ghana. Review of Development Economics, 00, 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1111/rode.12817 |
| Working and Position Paper | Social Networks and Risk Management in Ghana's Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty Programme | Resilience and Productive Impacts | 2015 | Daidone S, Handa S, Davis B, Park M, Osei RD and Osei-Akoto I. (2015).Social Networks and Risk Management in Ghana’s Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty Programme,Innocenti Working Papersno. 2015-06, UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti, Florence. |
| Dataset | Ghana: LEAP1000 Programme | Ghana: LEAP1000 Programme | ||
| Blog | It's Payday! What a cash transfer looks like in GhanaMichelle Mills, UNICEF Office of Research-Innocenti,December 2015 | Programme Evaluation and Design | 2015 | It's Payday! What a cash transfer looks like in GhanaMichelle Mills, UNICEF Office of Research-Innocenti,December 2015 |
| Blog | Doing impact evaluation in a remote region of GhanaNikola Balvin, UNICEF Office of Research-Innocenti,October 2015 | Programme Evaluation and Design | 2015 | Doing impact evaluation in a remote region of GhanaNikola Balvin, UNICEF Office of Research-Innocenti,October 2015 |
| Brief | Mills M and Barrington C. (2016).Utilizing Qualitative Methods in the Ghana LEAP 1000 Impact Evaluation,Methodological Briefsno. 2016-02, UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti, Florence. | Cash Plus Programmes | 2016 | Mills M and Barrington C. (2016).Utilizing Qualitative Methods in the Ghana LEAP 1000 Impact Evaluation,Methodological Briefsno. 2016-02, UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti, Florence. |
| Brief | Ghana LEAP 1000 Impact Evaluation: Overview of Study Design | Cash Plus Programmes | 2016 | de Groot R. (2016). Ghana LEAP 1000 Impact Evaluation: Overview of Study Design,Methodological Briefsno. 2016-01, UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti, Florence. |
| Brief | Ghana LEAP 1000 impact evaluation: Analysis of transfer size and estimated impacts | Cash Plus Programmes | 2016 | de Groot R and Handa S. (2016). Ghana LEAP 1000 impact evaluation: Analysis of transfer size and estimated impacts.Transfer Project Research Brief 2016-11. Chapel Hill, NC: Carolina Population Center, UNC-Chapel Hill. |
| Video | Cash Transfers for Mother Baby Health in Ghana | Cash Plus Programmes | 2016 | Cash Transfers for Mother Baby Health in Ghana |
| Video | Tia Palermo on Leveraging Cash Transfers to Reduce IPV | Cash Plus Programmes | 2019 | Tia Palermo on Leveraging Cash Transfers to Reduce IPV |
| Journal Article | Perspectives of adolescent and young adults on poverty related stressors: A qualitative study in Ghana, Malawi, and Tanzania | 2019 | Hall B, Garabiles M, de Hoop J, Prencipe L, Pereira A, Palermo T. (2019).Perspectives of adolescent and young adults on poverty related stressors: A qualitative study in Ghana, Malawi, and Tanzania.BMJ Open, 9(10). |
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| Journal Article | Myth-busting? Confronting Six Common Perceptions about Unconditional Cash Transfers as a Poverty Reduction Strategy in Africa. World Bank Research Observer, 33(2): 259 298 | 2018 | Handa S, Daidone S, Peterman A, Davis B, Pereira A, Palermo T, Yablonski J on behalf of the Transfer Project (2018). Myth-busting? Confronting Six Common Perceptions about Unconditional Cash Transfers as a Poverty Reduction Strategy in Africa. World Bank Research Observer, 33(2): 259 298. | |
| Journal Article | The livelihood impacts of cash transfers in Sub-Saharan Africa: Beneficiary perspectives from six countries | Gender and Gender-Based Violence | 2017 | Fisher E, Attah R, Barca V, O’Brien C, Brook S, Holland J, Kardan A, Pavanello S and Pozarny P. (2017). The livelihood impacts of cash transfers in Sub-Saharan Africa: Beneficiary perspectives from six countries. World Development, 99: 299-319. |
| Working and Position Paper | Myth-busting? Confronting six common perceptions about unconditional cash transfers as a poverty reduction strategy in Africa. Innocenti Working Papers no. 2017-11, UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti, Florence | 2017 | Handa S, Daidone S, Peterman A, Davis B, Pereira A, Palermo T and Yablonski J. (2017). Myth-busting? Confronting six common perceptions about unconditional cash transfers as a poverty reduction strategy in Africa. Innocenti Working Papers no. 2017-11, UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti, Florence. | |
| Brief | 'Cash plus': Linking cash transfers to services and sectors | 2018 | Roelen K, Prencipe L and Palermo T. (2018). 'Cash plus': Linking cash transfers to services and sectors. Innocenti Research Brief 2018-19. UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti, Florence, Italy. | |
| Brief | The impact of cash transfers on food security | Poverty Reduction and Food Security | 2016 | Hjelm L. (2016). The impact of cash transfers on food security. Transfer Project Research Brief 2016-01. Chapel Hill, NC: Carolina Population Center, UNC-Chapel Hill. |
| Brief | The broad range of cash transfer impacts in sub-Saharan Africa: Consumption, Human Capital and Productive Activity | Adolescents; Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being | 2014 | Davis B and Handa S. (2014). The broad range of cash transfer impacts in sub-Saharan Africa: Consumption, Human Capital and Productive Activity. Transfer Project Research Brief. Chapel Hill, NC: Carolina Population Center, UNC-Chapel Hill. |
| Brief | The Cost of Social Cash Transfer Programs in sub-Saharan Africa | Programme Evaluation and Design | 2013 | Plavgo I, de Milliano M and Handa S. (2013).The Cost of Social Cash Transfer Programs in sub-Saharan Africa. Transfer Project Research Brief 2013-01. Chapel Hill, NC: Carolina Population Center, UNC-Chapel Hill. |
| Brief | Evaluating the Impact of Cash Transfer Programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. IPC-UNDP Research Brief | Programme Evaluation and Design | 2012 | Davis B, Gaarder M, Handa S and Yablonski J. (2012). Evaluating the Impact of Cash Transfer Programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. IPC-UNDP Research Brief. |
| Journal Article | Child malnutrition, consumption growth, maternal care and price shocks: new evidence from Northern Ghana | Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being | 2020 | de Groot R, Handa S, Ragno LP, & Spadafora T on behalf of the Ghana LEAP1000 Evaluation Team.(2020).Child malnutrition, consumption growth, maternal care and price shocks: new evidence from Northern Ghana,Development Studies Research,7:1,18-30,DOI:10.1080/21665095.2020.1722721 |
| Journal Article | Impacts of a social protection program paired with fee waivers on enrollment in Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme. | Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being | 2019 | Palermo T, Valli E, Angeles G, Barrington C, Adamba C, Spadafora T, On Behalf of the LEAP 1000 Evaluation Team. (2019). Impacts of a social protection program paired with fee waivers on enrollment in Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme. BMJ Open, 9(11). |
| Journal Article | Child marriage and associated outcomes in Northern Ghana: a cross-sectional study | Adolescents; Gender and Gender-Based Violence | 2018 | de Groot R, Yiryele Kuunyem M and Palermo T on behalf of the Ghana LEAP 1000 Evaluation Team. (2018). Child marriage and associated outcomes in Northern Ghana: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health, 18: 285. |
| Journal Article | Cash transfers and child nutrition: Pathways and impacts | Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being | 2017 | de Groot R, Palermo T, Handa S, Ragno LP and Peterman A. (2017). Cash transfers and child nutrition: Pathways and impacts. Development Policy Review, 35: 621-643. |
| Journal Article | Can Social Protection Affect Psychosocial Wellbeing and Why Does This Matter? Lessons from Cash Transfers in Sub-Saharan Africa | Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being | 2016 | Attah R, Barca V, Kardan K, MacAuslan I, Merttens F andPellerano L. (2016). Can Social Protection Affect Psychosocial Wellbeing and Why Does This Matter? Lessons from Cash Transfers in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Journal of Development Studies, 52(8). |
| Journal Article | Impact of cash transfer programs on food security and nutrition in sub-Saharan Africa: A cross-country analysis | Poverty Reduction and Food Security | 2016 | Daidone S, Ruvalcaba MA, Prifti E, Handa S, Davis B, Niang O, Pellerano L, Quarles van Ufford P and Seidenfeld D. (2016).Impact of cash transfer programs on food security and nutrition in sub-Saharan Africa: A cross-country analysis. Global Food Security, 11: 72-83. |
| Journal Article | Is Graduation from Social Safety Nets Possible? Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa | Poverty Reduction and Food Security; Resilience and Productive Impacts | 2015 | Daidone, S, Pellerano, L, Handa, S and Davis, B. (2015),Is Graduation from Social Safety Nets Possible? Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa. IDS Bulletin, 46:93102. doi:10.1111/1759-5436.12132 |
| Journal Article | A simulation impact evaluation of rural income transfers in Malawi and Ghana. Journal of Development Effectiveness 4(1): 109-129 | 2012 | Filipski M. (2012). A simulation impact evaluation of rural income transfers in Malawi and Ghana. Journal of Development Effectiveness 4(1): 109-129. | |
| Book Chapter | Social Protection and the Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP) Programme in Ghana: Generating Positive Change through the Power of Evidence. In From evidence to action: The story of cash transfers and impact evaluation in sub-Saharan Africa. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press | 2016 | Ragno LP, Hague S, Handa S, Ablo M, Twun-Danso A, Ofori-Addo L, Alviar C, Davis B, Pozarny P, Attah R, and Taylor JE. (2016). Social Protection and the Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP) Programme in Ghana: Generating Positive Change through the Power of Evidence. In From evidence to action: The story of cash transfers and impact evaluation in sub-Saharan Africa. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. | |
| Working and Position Paper | Can social assistance (with a child lens) help in reducing urban poverty in Ghana? Evidence, challenges and the way forward | Poverty Reduction and Food Security | 2018 | Devereux S, Abdulai A-G, Cuesta J, Gupte J, Ragno LP, Roelen K, Sabates-Wheeler R, Spadafora T. (2018). Can social assistance (with a child lens) help in reducing urban poverty in Ghana? Evidence, challenges and the way forward. Innocenti Working Papers no. 2018-16, UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti. Florence, Italy. |
| Working and Position Paper | Child malnutrition, consumption growth, maternal care and price shocks: new evidence from Northern Ghana | Cash Plus Programmes; Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being | 2017 | de Groot R, Handa S, Ragno LP and Spadafora T. (2017). Child malnutrition, consumption growth, maternal care and price shocks: new evidence from Northern Ghana. Innocenti Working Papers no. 2017-01, UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti. Florence, Italy. |
| Working and Position Paper | Linking social rights to active citizenship for the most vulnerable: the role of rights and accountability in the 'making' and 'shaping' of social protection. Innocenti Working Papers no. 2017-14, UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti. Florence, Italy | 2017 | Sabates-Wheeler R, Abdulai AG, Wilmink N, de Groot, R and Spadafora T. (2017). Linking social rights to active citizenship for the most vulnerable: the role of rights and accountability in the 'making' and 'shaping' of social protection. Innocenti Working Papers no. 2017-14, UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti. Florence, Italy. | |
| Working and Position Paper | How to make 'cash plus' work in social protection: linking services and sectors. Innocenti Working Papers no. 2017-10 | Cash Plus Programmes | 2017 | Roelen K, Devereux S, Abdulai AG, Martorano B, Palermo T and Ragno LP. (2017). How to make ‘cash plus’ work in social protection: linking services and sectors. Innocenti Working Papers no. 2017-10, UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti. Florence, Italy. |
| Working and Position Paper | Cash Transfers and Child Nutrition: What we know and what we need to know | Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being | 2015 | de Groot R, Palermo T, Handa S, Ragno LP and Peterman A. (2015). Cash Transfers and Child Nutrition: What we know and what we need to know, Innocenti Working Papers no. 2015-07, UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti. Florence, Italy. |
| Brief | Utilizing Qualitative Methods in the Ghana LEAP 1000 Impact Evaluation, Methodological Briefs no. 2016-02, UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti, Florence | 2016 | Mills M and Barrington C. (2016). Utilizing Qualitative Methods in the Ghana LEAP 1000 Impact Evaluation, Methodological Briefs no. 2016-02, UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti, Florence. | |
| Brief | Ghana LEAP 1000 impact evaluation: Targeting effectiveness. Transfer Project Research Brief 2016-10 | Cash Plus Programmes | 2016 | de Groot R and Handa S. (2016). Ghana LEAP 1000 impact evaluation: Targeting effectiveness. Transfer Project Research Brief 2016-10. Chapel Hill, NC: Carolina Population Center, UNC-Chapel Hill. |
| Brief | Ghana LEAP 1000 impact evaluation: Baseline highlights | Programme Evaluation and Design | 2016 | de Groot R. (2016). Ghana LEAP 1000 impact evaluation: Baseline highlights. Transfer Project Research Brief 2016-09. Chapel Hill, NC: Carolina Population Center, UNC-Chapel Hill. |
| Brief | Ghana LEAP programme increases schooling outcomes. Transfer Project Research Brief 2016-04 | Education and Child Labour | 2016 | de Groot R. (2016). Ghana LEAP programme increases schooling outcomes. Transfer Project Research Brief 2016-04. Chapel Hill, NC: Carolina Population Center, UNC-Chapel Hill. |
| Brief | Measurement of interpersonal violence in national social cash transfer evaluations. Transfer Project Research Brief 2016-05 | Gender and Gender-Based Violence | 2016 | Palermo, T.(2016). Measurement of interpersonal violence in national social cash transfer evaluations. Transfer Project Research Brief 2016-05. Chapel Hill, NC: Carolina Population Center, UNC-Chapel Hill. |
| Brief | Schooling impacts of Ghana's LEAP programme | Education and Child Labour | 2015 | de Groot R. (2015). Schooling impacts of Ghana’s LEAP programme. UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti Research Brief 2015-06, Florence. |
| Brief | How much do programmes pay? Transfer size in selected national cash transfer programmes in Africa | Programme Evaluation and Design | 2015 | Davis B and Handa S. (2015). How much do programmes pay? Transfer size in selected national cash transfer programmes in Africa. The Transfer Project Research Brief 2015-09. Chapel Hill, NC: Carolina Population Center, UNC-Chapel Hill. |
| Brief | The Impact of Social Cash Transfers on Schooling in Africa: An Update from the Transfer Project. The Transfer Project Research Brief 2015-01 | Education and Child Labour | 2015 | Handa S and de Milliano M. (2015). The Impact of Social Cash Transfers on Schooling in Africa: An Update from the Transfer Project. The Transfer Project Research Brief 2015-01. Chapel Hill, NC: Carolina Population Center, UNC-Chapel Hill. |
Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty, Baseline 2010
Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty, Follow-Up 2012
LEAP 1000, Baseline 2015
Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty, Endline 2016
LEAP 1000, Endline 2017
LEAP & Integrated Social Services Evaluation (LEAP ISS)
Ghana's Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme
| Data Collection | |
| Years: | 2010 - 2012 |
| Sample Size: | 1,613 at baseline (699 treatment, 914 comparison); 1,504 at endline (646 treatment, 858 comparison) |
| Location: | Three Regions: Brong Ahafo, Central and Volta |
| Evaluation Design: | Propensity Score Matching |
| Key Partners/Implementers: |
ISSER – Institute for Statistical, Social and Economic Research of the University of Ghana-Legon UNC-CH – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| Funders: | DFID – UK Department for International Development 3ie – International Initiative for Impact Evaluation |
| Reports |
LEAP Baseline Evaluation Report |
Ghana LEAP 1000 Programme Evaluation
| Data Collection | |
| Years: | 2015 - 2017 |
| Sample Size: | 2,497 (1,262 treatment; 1,235 comparison) |
| Location: | Three districts in Northern Region and two districts in Upper East Region |
| Evaluation Design: | Regression Discontinuity Design |
| Key Partners/Implementers: | UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti ISSER – Institute for Statistical, Social and Economic Research of the University of Ghana-Legon UNC-CH – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| Funders: | USAID – US Agency for International Development |
| Reports | |
LEAP & Integrated Social Services Evaluation (LEAP ISS)
| Data Collection | |
| Years: | 2021-present |
| Sample Size: | 2,520 households, and 100+key informantts and focus groups |
| Location: | 15 districts across Ghana |
| Evaluation Design: | mixed methods |
| Key Partners/Implementers: | Navrongo Health Research Center (NHRC) Institute of Statistical, Social, and Economic Research (ISSER), University of Ghana University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| Funders: | |
| Reports |
Ghana LEAP & Integrated Social Services Impact Evaluation Baseline Report (2021- Phase 1) |