The Perspectives of Young Women in Rural Western Kenya on Unconditional Cash Transfers

Unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) provide money to eligible individuals, without dictating how they spend the money or tasks they must do to receive it. This study explored how UCTs affected the lives of young, impoverished women in rural western Kenya. Qualitative methods were used, including in‐...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Poverty & public policy 2016-03, Vol.8 (1), p.72-94
Main Authors: Junior, Jean A., Katz, Arlene M., Ahn, Roy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
cash transfers
Females
Kenya
Poverty
Psychological factors
Qualitative research
Quantitative analysis
Quantitative research
Rural areas
Social environment
sub-Saharan Africa
subjective well-being
Well being
women
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Summary:Unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) provide money to eligible individuals, without dictating how they spend the money or tasks they must do to receive it. This study explored how UCTs affected the lives of young, impoverished women in rural western Kenya. Qualitative methods were used, including in‐depth interviews with 30 women: 10 receiving $1,000, 10 receiving $500, and 10 not receiving a UCT. UCTs were positively viewed by interviewees, and had nuanced and varied effects on aspirations, money management, relationships, and subjective well‐being in social context. The perspectives of interviewees offer programmatic suggestions and question major assumptions concerning UCTs. The perspectives of interviewees offer programmatic suggestions and question major assumptions concerning UCTs. This qualitative study augments the primarily quantitative research on UCTs that has been done to date.
ISSN:1944-2858
2194-6027
1944-2858
DOI:10.1002/pop4.127