Economic Empowerment Program Suubi-Maka

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The overall goal of SUUBI-MAKA is to further develop and preliminarily examine a family economic empowerment intervention that creates economic opportunities (specifically Children Development Accounts) for families in Uganda who are caring for children orphaned due to the AIDS pandemic, and to lay groundwork for a bigger study with practice and policy implications for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Detailed Description
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The study has two specific aims (1) To conduct formative work in order to understand children and families´ ability and interest in participating in a family-level economic empowerment intervention focused on savings and family income generation, and their response to this family-focused economic empowerment approach alongside additional intervention components, including savings for youth education and adult mentorship. (2) Based on formative data (Aim #1), to adapt the intervention and examine issues related to feasibility and preliminary outcome on a small scale in order to prepare for a larger study. The intervention, SUUBI-MAKA, uses a novel approach by focusing on economic empowerment of families caring for children orphaned due to AIDS. The intervention has three key components (1) it promotes family-level income generating projects (micro-enterprises) which we believe will enhance economic stability, reduce poverty, and enhance protective family processes for youth orphaned by AIDS. (2) It promotes monetary savings for educational opportunities for AIDS-orphaned children. (3) It provides an adult mentor to children. The intervention will be evaluated via a two-group randomized trial. The two groups are SUUBI-MAKA or Usual care for orphaned children. The participating children will be nested within 20 primary schools that will be randomly assigned such that all children from a particular school receive the same intervention.

Official Title
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SUUBI MAKA (Hope for Families): A Family-Based Economic Empowerment Model for Orphaned Children in Uganda

Conditions
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Poverty

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Suubi-Maka ('Hope for Families')
* Other: Usual Care


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: An AIDS-orphaned child, defined as a child who has lost one or both parents to AIDS; Enrolled in the last two years of primary school (even though possibly not attending regularly); Between the ages of 11 to 16 years; Living within a family. Exclusion Criteria: Any youth below 11 years or above 16 years at the time of enrollment in the study; Any youth not enrolled in the final two years of primary school; Any youth who does not self-identify as an AIDS-orphan; Any youth not being raised primarily within a family context at the start of the study.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 11 Years
Maximum Age: 16 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: SUUBI-MAKA<br>Involves creating and broadening asset ownership opportunities and life options for children (ages 12 to 15 years) orphaned due to AIDS in Uganda. | Behavioral: Suubi-Maka ('Hope for Families')<br>* Each child in the SUUBI-MAKA condition receive the usual care plus asset focused services, specifically: a matched Child Development Account (CDA); twelve 1-2 hour training sessions on career planning, setting short-term and long-term career goals, and how to save money; and monthly mentorship program with young adult peers (undergraduate students) on life options and how to avoid risk behaviors. In addition, participants receive a 2:1 match for their deposits into the account. Further, participants and their adult caregivers receive specific training on microenterprise development and specifically on how to start an income-generating project using up to 50% of the matched savings. The intervention is delivered over a period of 24 months.<br>* Other names: Children's savings account;|
| Other: Usual Care<br>No intervention for asset ownership, development of future planning skills, enhancement of mental health and reduction of risk taking behaviors for children orphaned due to AIDS in Uganda. | Other: Usual Care<br>* Each child in the control condition receives the usual services for orphaned children (counseling, school lunches, and textbooks).<br>* Other names: Usual services;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Savings and asset-accumulation | Formal and informal savings, wealth/assets (e.g. livestock, type of housing), and attitudes toward saving | 12-month post-intervention | 
| Educational outcomes | School enrollment, School attendance, School grades, Educational plans and aspirations | 12-month post-intervention | 
| Sexual risk taking | Sexual risk taking behavior (onset of sexual intercourse, unprotected sexual intercourse), Intentions to engage in sexual risk behaviors, HIV knowledge | 12-month post-intervention | 
| Savings and asset-accumulation | Formal and informal savings, wealth/assets (e.g. livestock, type of housing), and attitudes toward saving | 24-month post-intervention | 
| Educational outcomes | School enrollment, School attendance, School grades, Educational plans and aspirations | 24-month post-intervention | 
| Sexual risk taking | Sexual risk taking behavior (onset of sexual intercourse, unprotected sexual intercourse), Intentions to engage in sexual risk behaviors, HIV knowledge | 24-month post-intervention | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mental health | Self-esteem, depression, hopelessness, helplessness | 12-month post-intervention | 
| Social and family support | Child-caregiver relationship, family cohesion, family communication, family support | 12-month post-intervention | 
| Mental health | Self-esteem, depression, hopelessness, and helplessness scales | 24-month post-intervention | 
| Social and family support | Child-caregiver relationship, family cohesion, family communication, family support | 24-month post-intervention | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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economic empowerment model,, orphaned children and youth,, Uganda,, sub-Saharan Africa