Poor families striving to save in matched children’s savings accounts: Findings from a randomized experimental design in uganda

This study examines participants’ savings in children’s savings accounts ðCSAsÞ set up for AIDS-orphaned children ages 10–15 in Uganda. Using a cluster-randomized experimental design, we examine the extent to which families participating in a CSA program report more savings than their counterparts not participating in the program, explore the extent to which families who participate in the CSA program report using formal financial institutions compared with families who do not have a CSA, and consider whether families participating in the CSA program bring new money into the CSA or whether they reshuffle existing household assets. We find that participating in a CSA increased families’ likelihood to report having saved money. However, our results show no intervention effect either on the amount of self-reported savings or on the likelihood of using formal financial institutions. Further research is needed to understand whether use of a CSA helps families generate new wealth.