Kenya
Kenya’s Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CT-OVC)
| Year Programme Began: | 2004 |
| Implementing Ministry: | Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of Children's Services |
| Target Group: | Poor households with OVC |
| Conditions: | None |
| Approximate Reach (as of 2015): | 250,000 households |
The Kenya Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CT-OVC) is the government’s flagship social protection programme, implemented by the Children’s Department of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development, reaching approximately 240,000 households nationwide as of 2014. In response to a concern for the welfare of OVC, particularly AIDS orphans, the Government of Kenya, with technical and financial assistance from UNICEF, designed and began implementing a pilot program in 2004. After this successful demonstration period, the CT-OVC was formally approved by Cabinet, and integrated into the national budget.
The objective of the programme is to provide regular cash transfers to ultra-poor households living with OVC to encourage fostering and retention of children and to promote their human capital development. Eligible households receive a flat monthly transfer of 2000 Kenyan shillings (approximately USD $21), adjusted up from 1500 in 2011-2012 to account for inflation. An OVC is defined as a household resident between 0 to17 years old with at least one deceased or chronically ill parent, or whose main caregiver is chronically ill. Beneficiary households are informed that the care and protection of the resident OVC is their responsibility for receiving the cash payment, however there are no punitive sanctions for noncompliance with this responsibility (the transfer is unconditional).
| Type | Title | Theme(s) | Year | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dataset | Kenya: Cash Transfer for Orphan and Vulnerable Children Impact Evaluation: Core Files | Kenya: Cash Transfer for Orphan and Vulnerable Children Impact Evaluation: Core Files | ||
| Dataset | Kenya: Cash Transfer for Orphan and Vulnerable Children Impact Evaluation: Young Person's Module | Kenya: Cash Transfer for Orphan and Vulnerable Children Impact Evaluation: Young Person's Module | ||
| Journal Article | Asfaw S, Davis B, Dewbre J, Handa S andWinters P. (2014).Cash transfer programme, productive activities and labour supply: Evidence from randomized experiment in Kenya,Journal of Development Studies,50(8): 1172-1196. | Poverty Reduction and Food Security | 2014 | Asfaw S, Davis B, Dewbre J, Handa S andWinters P. (2014).Cash transfer programme, productive activities and labour supply: Evidence from randomized experiment in Kenya,Journal of Development Studies,50(8): 1172-1196. |
| Journal Article | Targeting effectiveness of social cash transfer programmes in three African countries | Programme Evaluation and Design | 2012 | Handa S, Huang C, Hypher N, Teixeira, Soares FV and Davis B. (2012).Targeting effectiveness of social cash transfer programmes in three African countries.Journal of Development Effectiveness 4(1): 78-108. |
| Journal Article | Effects of a large-scale Unconditional Cash Transfer Program on Mental Health Outcomes of Young People in Kenya | Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being | 2016 | Kilburn K, Thirumurthy H, Halpern CT, Pettifor A and Handa S. (2016).Effects of a large-scale Unconditional Cash Transfer Program on Mental Health Outcomes of Young People in Kenya,Journal of Adolescent Health,58(2): 223-229. |
| Journal Article | How does a national poverty program influence sexual debut among Kenyan adolescents? | Adolescents; Gender and Gender-Based Violence | 2016 | Handa S, Palermo T, Rosenberg M, Pettifor A, Tucker Halpern C and Thirumurthy H. (2016). How does a national poverty program influence sexual debut among Kenyan adolescents? Global Public Health, 5: 617-638. |
| Journal Article | Impact of the Kenya Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children on early pregnancy and marriage of adolescent girls | Gender and Gender-Based Violence | 2015 | Handa S, Peterman A, Huang C, Halpern C, Pettifor A,and Thirumurthy, H. (2015). “Impact of the Kenya Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children on early pregnancy and marriage of adolescent girls”. Social Science & Medicine, Sep; 141:36-45. |
| Journal Article | The Government of Kenya's Cash Transfer Program Reduces the Risk of Sexual Debut Among Young People Age 15-25 | Adolescents; Gender and Gender-Based Violence | 2014 | Handa S, Halpern C, Pettifor A andThirumurthy H. (2014).The Government of Kenya’s Cash Transfer Program Reduces the Risk of Sexual Debut Among Young People Age 15-25,PLOS ONE 9(1): 1-9. |
| Journal Article | Rosenberg M, Pettifor A, Thirumurthy H, Halpern CT and Handa S. (2014).The Impact of a National Poverty Reduction Program on the Characteristics of Sex Partners Among Kenyan Adolescents,AIDS and Behavior, 18(2): 311-316. | Adolescents | 2014 | Rosenberg M, Pettifor A, Thirumurthy H, Halpern CT and Handa S. (2014).The Impact of a National Poverty Reduction Program on the Characteristics of Sex Partners Among Kenyan Adolescents,AIDS and Behavior, 18(2): 311-316. |
| Journal Article | The Kenya CT-OVC Evaluation Team. (2012).The impact of Kenya's Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children on human capital.Journal of Development Effectiveness 4(1): 38-49. | Adolescents | 2012 | The Kenya CT-OVC Evaluation Team. (2012).The impact of Kenya's Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children on human capital.Journal of Development Effectiveness 4(1): 38-49. |
| Working and Position Paper | Agricultural Spillover Effects of Cash Transfers: What Does LEWIE Have to Say? | Agricultural Spillover Effects of Cash Transfers: What Does LEWIE Have to Say? | ||
| Working and Position Paper | Paying Attention to Detail: How to Transfer Cash in Cash Transfers | Paying Attention to Detail: How to Transfer Cash in Cash Transfers | ||
| Brief | Social Protection and Childhood Violence: Expert Roundtable, Innocenti Research Briefs no. 2016-11, UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti, Florence | 2016 | Cook S, Neijhoft N, Palermo T and Peterman A. (2016). Social Protection and Childhood Violence: Expert Roundtable, Innocenti Research Briefs no. 2016-11, UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti, Florence. | |
| Brief | Cash Transfers Improve the Mental Health and Well-being of Youth: Evidence from the Kenyan Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, Innocenti Research Briefs no. 2016-02 | Adolescents | 2016 | Pereira A. (2016). Cash Transfers Improve the Mental Health and Well-being of Youth: Evidence from the Kenyan Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, Innocenti Research Briefs no. 2016-02, UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti, Florence. |
| Brief | Unconditional government social cash transfers in Africa do not increase fertility | Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being | 2016 | Palermo, T. and Hjelm, L. (2016). Unconditional government social cash transfers in Africa do not increase fertility. Transfer Project Research Brief 2016-02. Chapel Hill, NC: Carolina Population Center, UNC-Chapel Hill. |
| Brief | Social cash transfers, early pregnancy and marriage in the Kenyan national cash transfer programme | Adolescents; Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being | 2015 | Pereira A and Peterman A. (2015). Social cash transfers, early pregnancy and marriage in the Kenyan national cash transfer programme. UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti Research Brief 2015-05, Florence. |
| Brief | Measuring Health and Well-being of Young People in the Transfer Project | Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being | 2015 | Palermo T. (2015). Measuring Health and Well-being of Young People in the Transfer Project. The Transfer Project Research Brief 2015-03. Chapel Hill, NC: Carolina Population Center, UNC-Chapel Hill. |
| Brief | Measurement of Interpersonal Violence in National Social Cash Transfer Evaluations. The Transfer Project Research Brief 2015-02. Chapel Hill, NC: Carolina Population Center, UNC-Chapel Hill | Gender and Gender-Based Violence | 2015 | Palermo T. (2015). Measurement of Interpersonal Violence in National Social Cash Transfer Evaluations. The Transfer Project Research Brief 2015-02. Chapel Hill, NC: Carolina Population Center, UNC-Chapel Hill. |
| Brief | Social Protection Programmes Contribute to HIV Prevention | Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being | 2015 | EPRI/ UNICEF. (2015). Social Protection Programmes Contribute to HIV Prevention. |
| Brief | Kenya Cash Transfer Program Delays Sexual Debut Among Young People Age 15-25 | Gender and Gender-Based Violence | 2013 | The Transfer Project Team. (2013). Kenya Cash Transfer Program Delays Sexual Debut Among Young People Age 15-25. Transfer Project Research Brief 2013-03. Chapel Hill, NC: Carolina Population Center, UNC-Chapel Hill. |
| Brief | Does the Unconditional Kenya's Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children have Impacts on Schooling? IPC-UNDP Research Brief | Education and Child Labour | 2012 | Kenya CT-OVC Evaluation Team. (2012). Does the Unconditional Kenya's Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children have Impacts on Schooling? IPC-UNDP Research Brief. |
| Brief | Does Community-Based Targeting Really Work in Cash Transfer Programmes in Africa? | Programme Evaluation and Design | 2012 | Hypher N and Veras F. (2012). Does Community-Based Targeting Really Work in Cash Transfer Programmes in Africa?IPC-UNDP Research Brief. |
| Brief | Do Cash Transfers Change Household Consumption Preferences? Evidence from an Unconditional Cash Transfer in Kenya | Poverty Reduction and Food Security | 2012 | Kenya CT-OVC Evaluation Team. (2012). Do Cash Transfers Change Household Consumption Preferences? Evidence from an Unconditional Cash Transfer in Kenya. IPC-UNDP Research Brief. |
| 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. |
| Journal Article | Understanding the linkages between social safety nets and childhood violence: a review of the evidence from low- and middle-income countries | Gender and Gender-Based Violence | 2017 | Peterman A, Neijhoft A, Cook S and Palermo T. (2017). Understanding the linkages between social safety nets and childhood violence: a review of the evidence from low- and middle-income countries. Health Policy and Planning: 1-23. |
| 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 | 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 | 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 |
| 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 | 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. |
| Journal Article | A mixed-method review of cash transfers and intimate partner violence in low- and middle-income countries | Gender and Gender-Based Violence | 2018 | Buller AM, Peterman A, Ranganathan M, Bleile A, Hidrobo M and Heise L. (2018). A mixed-method review of cash transfers and intimate partner violence in low- and middle-income countries. The World Bank Research Observer, 33(2). |
| Journal Article | Examination of performance of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Short Form 10 among African youth in poor, rural households | Adolescents; Health, Nutrition, and Well-Being | 2018 | Kilburn K, Prencipe L, Hjelm L, Peterman A, Handa S and Palermo T. (2018). Examination of performance of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Short Form 10 among African youth in poor, rural households. BMC Psychiatry, 18(201). |
| Journal Article | Investments in children's health and the Kenyan cash transfer for orphans and vulnerable children: evidence from an unconditional cash transfer scheme. Health Policy and Planning: 1-13 | 2017 | Huang C, Singh K, Handa S, Halpern C, Pettifor A and Thirumurthy H. (2017).Investments in children's health and the Kenyan cash transfer for orphans and vulnerable children: evidence from an unconditional cash transfer scheme. Health Policy and Planning: 1-13. | |
| Journal Article | Time Discounting and Credit Constraints in a Large Scale Cash Transfer Program | Poverty Reduction and Food Security | 2016 | Handa S, Martorano B, Halpern C, Pettifor A and Thirumurthy H. (2016). Time Discounting and Credit Constraints in a Large Scale Cash Transfer Program, Journal of African Economies, 25(3): 367-387. |
| Journal Article | Cash transfer programme, productive activities and labour supply: Evidence from randomized experiment in Kenya. Journal of Development Studies, 50(8): 1172-1196 | 2014 | Asfaw S, Davis B, Dewbre J, Handa A and Winters P. (2014).Cash transfer programme, productive activities and labour supply: Evidence from randomized experiment in Kenya. Journal of Development Studies, 50(8): 1172-1196. | |
| Journal Article | The Government of Kenya's Cash Transfer Program Reduces the Risk of Sexual Debut Among Young People Age 15-25. PLOS ONE 9(1): 1-9 | 2014 | Handa S, Halpern C, Pettifor A, Thirumurthy H. (2014).The Government of Kenya's Cash Transfer Program Reduces the Risk of Sexual Debut Among Young People Age 15-25. PLOS ONE 9(1): 1-9. | |
| Journal Article | The Impact of a National Poverty Reduction Program on the Characteristics of Sex Partners Among Kenyan Adolescents," AIDS and Behavior, 18(2): 311-316 | 2014 | Rosenberg M, Pettifor A, Thirumurthy H, Halpern CT and Handa S. (2014).The Impact of a National Poverty Reduction Program on the Characteristics of Sex Partners Among Kenyan Adolescents," AIDS and Behavior, 18(2): 311-316. | |
| Journal Article | The Impact of the Kenya CT-OVC Program on Human Capital. Journal of Development Effectiveness, 4(1): 38-49, 2012 | 2012 | Kenya CT-OVC Evaluation Team. (2012). The Impact of the Kenya CT-OVC Program on Human Capital. Journal of Development Effectiveness, 4(1): 38-49, 2012. | |
| Journal Article | The impact of the Kenya Cash Transfer Program for Orphans and Vulnerable Children on Household Spending | Adolescents | 2012 | Kenya CT-OVC Evaluation Team. (2012). The impact of the Kenya Cash Transfer Program for Orphans and Vulnerable Children on Household Spending. Journal of Development Effectiveness, 4(10): 9-37. |
| Book Chapter | The Cash Transfer Programme for Orphans and Vulnerable Children: The Catalyst for Cash Transfers in Kenya. In From evidence to action: The story of cash transfers and impact evaluation in sub-Saharan Africa. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press | 2016 | Bosworth J, Alviar C, Corral L, Davis B, Musembi D, Mwasiaji W, Ochieng S, Pearson R, Pozarny P, Ward P and Wiseman W. (2016). The Cash Transfer Programme for Orphans and Vulnerable Children: The Catalyst for Cash Transfers in Kenya. 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 | A mixed-method review of cash transfers and intimate partner violence in low and middle income countries | Gender and Gender-Based Violence | 2018 | Buller AM, Peterman A, Ranganathan M, Bleile A, Hidrobo M and Heise l. (2018). A mixed-method review of cash transfers and intimate partner violence in low and middle income countries. Innocenti Working Paper 2018-02. UNICEF Office of Research Innocenti. Florence, Italy. |
| Working and Position Paper | Subjective Well-being, Risk Perceptions and Time Discounting: Evidence from a large-scale cash transfer programme. Innocenti Working Papers No. 2014-02, UNICEF Office of Research, Florence | 2014 | Handa S, Martorano B, Halpern C, Pettifor A andThirumurthy H. (2014). Subjective Well-being, Risk Perceptions and Time Discounting: Evidence from a large-scale cash transfer programme. Innocenti Working Papers No. 2014-02, UNICEF Office of Research, Florence. |
Kenya's Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CT-OVC)
Kenya CT-OVC Programme Evaluation
| Data Collection | |
| Years: | 2007 (baseline), 2009 (wave 2) and 2011 (wave 3) |
| Sample Size: | 2,759 households and approximately 15,500 individuals at baseline |
| Location: | Seven Districts: Kisumu, Migori, Homa Bay, Suba, Nairobi, Garissa and Kwale |
| Evaluation Design: | cluster randomized control trail (cRCT) and qualitative study |
| Key Partners/Implementers: |
OPM – Oxford Policy Management (2007-2009) UNC-CH – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2011) |
| Funders: |
DFID – UK Department for International Development (2011) NIH – National Institute of Health (2011) |
| Reports | |