Introduction
This study assessed whether adding the COFE curriculum to SILC groups improves caregivers’ financial behaviors related to children’s education and health in Uganda.
Key Findings
- Study Design: Post-test only cluster randomized controlled trial with 28 PSP clusters, 1,374 participants, and 4,598 children.
- Intervention: COFE delivered in 13 sessions alongside SILC meetings; focused on budgeting, saving for education, healthcare, and child protection.
- Primary Outcome: Caregivers in COFE groups were 8% more likely to pay all required school fees for their children (absolute difference: 0.08; p = 0.03).
- Relative Impact: 17% higher likelihood of paying school fees compared to control groups.
- Secondary Outcomes: No significant effect on health-related expenses or financial self-efficacy scores.
- Implications: Child-focused financial education complements savings groups and can help meet education goals for vulnerable children.
Conclusion
Integrating COFE into SILC programs improves educational investment but has limited short-term impact on healthcare spending or financial confidence.
