This paper summarizes rigorous impact evaluation results from the Economic Empowerment of Adolescent Girls Project (EPAG) in Liberia and presents long-term project results gathered in an end-line survey.
... See More + The project's pilot phase was implemented in two rounds and included six months of classroom training, followed by six months of placement and support. The aim of the project was to increase wage and self-employment for young women in Liberia. Seventy percent of girls were trained in business development skills (BDS) and thirty percent in job skills (JS) targeted to sectors with high demand for workers. All participants receive life skills training specifically designed for Liberian girls. The EPAG impact evaluation employed a randomized pipeline research design in which trainees were randomly assigned to rounds. The paper summarizes rigorous evaluation results showing the impact of the project on the treatment group (round 1 trainees from March 2010 to February 2011), as compared to a statistically similar control group (round 2 trainees from July 2011 to June 2012). Impacts are estimated using a difference-in-difference regression model. Outcomes are measured by a baseline survey completed in March 2010 and a midline survey completed in May 2011, six months after the treatment group (round 1 trainees) completed the classroom training. It was found that the project led to a forty-seven percent increase in employment among trainees, compared to those in the control group. EPAG's economic impact also appears to be long-lasting. The positive employment outcome was stronger among the business skills trainees. On average, the probability that participants in the BDS track found employment increased twice as much as among those in the JS track. Areas for further research are articulated.
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The Ebola epidemic continues to cripple the economies of Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. The crisis is resulting in flat or negative income growth and creating large fiscal needs in all three countries, as they work to eradicate the virus.
... See More + This update presents the World Banks most recent analysis of the economic effects of the Ebola epidemic on the three countries. All three had been growing rapidly in recent years, and into the first half of 2014. But GDP growth estimates for 2014 have been revised sharply downward since pre-crisis estimates. Projected 2014 growth in Liberia is now 2.2 percent (versus 5.9 percent before the crisis and 2.5 percent in October). Projected 2014 growth in Sierra Leone is now 4.0 percent (versus 11.3 percent before the crisis and 8.0 percent in October). Projected 2014 growth in Guinea is now 0.5 percent (versus 4.5 percent before the crisis and 2.4 percent in October). The World Banks October report on the economic impact of Ebola (report no. 91219 released at the 2014 Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank) found that if the epidemic continues in the three worst-affected countries and spreads to neighboring countries, the two-year regional financial impact could range from a "low Ebola" estimate of $3.8 billion to a "high Ebola" estimate of $32.6 billion. These scale estimates of potential impact remain valid: the epidemic is not yet under control. Containment, combined with a full-fledged financial recovery effort to restart business activity and bring back investors, are now both therefore urgently needed for the region to improve on the downbeat forecasts in this update.
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