Confidence, Capacity Building and Cash: Achieving Sustained Impact for Ultra-poor Women

McIlvaine, Kassie, Corey Oser, Julianna Lindsey and Maia Blume

ABSTRACT

Understanding poverty and how to measure and eradicate it has evolved over the last 20 years to incorporate a multidimensional focus. The experience of Women for Women International (WfWI), a US- based non-profit organisation that works with women survivors of war in eight countries, shows that while economic inputs are crucial for moving above the US$1.25/day poverty line, a more holistic approach is needed for ultra-poor women in conflict-affected situations to achieve this goal. This article analyses WfWI’s 12-month social protection training and cash transfer programme for ultra-poor labour-constrained women in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The programme helps women obtain skills and resources to graduate from poverty and promote overall wellbeing for their families and communities. We first provide background on social protection programmes in conflict settings, then outline data collection methodology and the WfWI core programme, and lastly, we discuss our findings and opportunities for further analysis.