2012 | Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, and Nepal
Youth and their health in Ghana (YouthSave Research Brief 12-41)
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If provided an opportunity to save via formal financial services, will youth participate? This is one of the fundamental questions being asked by YouthSave, a four-country study targeted for young people ages 12 to18 living predominantly in low-income households. Youth do save informally and—if given an opportunity—also may participate in formal banking services (Save the Children Federation, Inc., 2012; UNCDF, 2011), but such opportunities are few. The limited research available suggests that financial inclusion has important youth development effects and deserves greater study (Chowa & Ansong, 2010; Deshpande & Zimmerman, 2010; Elliott, 2012; Scanlon & Adams, 2009; Ssewamala & Ismayilova,2009).
YouthSave is a pioneering project designed to increase savings and development among low-income youth in Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, and Nepal. The goals of YouthSave research are to measure the uptake, savings outcomes, experiences, and impacts of youth savings accounts (YSAs) on clients and financial institutions. In Ghana, a rigorous research design that includes a control group with quantitative and qualitative evidence has been implemented to assess the impact of savings accounts on youth development and asset accumulation.
Chowa, G., Masa, R., & Osei-Akoto, I. (2012). Youth and their health in Ghana (YouthSave Research Brief 12-41). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development.