Policy Research Solutions (PRESTO)

We had the pleasure of working with an incredible group of researchers at JOOUST and are excited to see how they apply their new skills to advance research in economics, public health, and beyond. #impactevaluation #globalhealth #publichealth #economics #research

Last month, PRESTO’s Tia Palermo co-facilitated an impact evaluation training at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) in Kenya, as part of American Institutes for Research’s P3-Africa training and mentoring program.

Our interdisciplinary team of experts—spanning public policy, economics, and public health—specializes in turning complex data into actionable insights
for decision-makers. #WBE #MWBE #NYBusiness

We’re thrilled to announce that Policy Research Solutions LLC (PRESTO) is now certified by New York State as a women-owned business! We are proud to be a women-led organization with a
strong track record in policy research, evaluation, survey design, data analysis, and capacity development.

She presented how adverse childhood events influence program impacts of a cash plus intervention on youth productive outcomes in Tanzania, as part of a study done in collaboration with PRESTO under AIR’s P3 mentoring program.

#uniceftanzania #cashplus #TransferProject #Tanzania #ESAAfrica25

Today Dr. Monica Kauky, University of Dar es Salaam, presented at the 2025 Economic Science Association Africa regional conference in Nairobi.

This research was conducted jointly with PRESTO researcher @tiapalermo.bsky.social & co-authors at @unicef.org Innocenti, under @airinforms.bsky.social P3 Mentoring program.

Kicking off an exciting week at the 2025 Africa Evidence Summit! Dr. Dickson Wandeda (University of Nairobi) presented long-term impacts of Ghana’s LEAP 1000 cash transfer on insurance uptake, morbidity & health seeking.
#AES2025 #cashtransfers #TransferProject

🚨 Join us TOMORROW 5 June for the #SPorgWebinar ‘Myth vs. Reality: The Impact of Cash Transfers on Gender Equality in Africa.’

🕛 5 June, 2025- 8:00 GMT-4 (EST)
🔗Register:  socialprotection.org/learn/webina...

(2/2) 📑 This research is a collaborative effort with PRESTO, @unicef.org Innocenti, UNICEF Ghana, ISSER, and AIR’s P3 Mentoring Program.

#CashTransfers #SocialProtection #ImpactEvaluation

(1/2) We’ve enjoyed a productive spring so far! ⭐

A key highlight: Last month Dickson Wandeda and @tiapalermo.bsky.social presented at NYU’s Cash Transfer Lab on the long-term impacts of Ghana’s LEAP 1000 cash transfer program on health and insurance uptake.

Mark your calendars! Join PRESTO next week on June 5th as we team up with UNICEF to bust myths on gender and cash transfers in Africa.
Register here: tinyurl.com/2hay2nmh

#cashtransfers #genderequality #socialprotection #SPorgWebinar #Africa @socialprotection.org

PRESTO enjoyed our week in Nairobi collaborating with the @unicef.org Kenya social policy & communications teams! #ForEveryChild

In a recent review, we examined 27 published studies that estimated the effect of social safety net programs on child maltreatment.16 of the studies found protective effects. Read more on our blog:
www.policyresearchsolutions.com/post/social-...

PRESTO sends a bittersweet farewell to our valued team member, Kate Caisley! Kate has been instrumental to the success of many projects, and we wish her the best in her new endeavor.

It was an inspiring week in Cotonou, Benin, collaborating with the @unicef.org Bénin team! We had co-creation sessions where UNICEF’s social policy and communications teams demonstrated the value of cross-sector teamwork. #SocialProtection #UNICEF #Benin #ForEveryChild

Social Safety Nets May Reduce Child Maltreatment Policies that address poverty can have positive spillover effects on broader outcomes, including improving child well-being.

"Policies that address poverty can have positive spillover effects on broader outcomes." Check out a new Public Health Post article about a study led by PRESTO researcher @tiapalermo.bsky.social with University at Buffalo collaborators: publichealthpost.org/health-equit...

Today, we honor and celebrate women around the world. We're proud to contribute to the evidence base for women's well-being and gender equality. Check out some of our research here: www.policyresearchsolutions.com/projects #IWD2025 #AccelerateAction

#6 The final post in our myths on gender and cash transfers in Africa series: Will cash transfers reduce women’s incentives to work and encourage dependency on benefits?

Read more: transfer.cpc.unc.edu/wp-content/u...

#5 in our myths on gender and cash transfers in Africa series: Will cash transfers directed to women create conflict in the household and increase intimate partner violence?

Read more: transfer.cpc.unc.edu/wp-content/u...

#4 in our myths on gender and cash transfers in Africa series: Does providing cash transfers to women not really empower them, as men will still control how the cash is spent?

Read more: transfer.cpc.unc.edu/wp-content/u...

#3 in our myths on gender and cash transfers in Africa series: Do cash transfers, particularly those targeted to households with young children, increase pregnancies and fertility?

Read more: transfer.cpc.unc.edu/wp-content/u...

#2 in our myths on gender and cash transfers in Africa series: Is designating women to receive cash transfers on behalf of a household essential to ensuring positive outcomes for families and children?

Read more: transfer.cpc.unc.edu/wp-content/u...

Follow along this week as we answer 6 questions related to myths about gender and cash transfers in Africa! #1: Will cash transfers designed with conditions result in larger improvements for women and girls?

Read more: transfer.cpc.unc.edu/wp-content/u...

Post-intervention gendered impacts and moderating factors of a government cash plus intervention for adolescents in Tanzania Reducing poverty (including multidimensional poverty) and gender inequality can improve social development outcomes. Studies have sought to understand…

(2/2) 2️⃣ Increasing sexual and reproductive health services utilization among males

Read more about our findings: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

(1/2) 🚨 New paper alert! PRESTO team members & co-authors found that, at 22-month post-intervention, a cash plus intervention targeted to adolescents in Tanzania had sustained impacts on:

1️⃣ Reducing self-perceived HIV risk among males and females and lifetime sexual violence risk among females and…

4️⃣ Mapping of Gender and Social Protection Data: socialprotection.org/discover/pub...

Systematic review of cash plus or bundled interventions targeting adolescents in Africa to reduce HIV risk - BMC Public Health Background HIV remains a leading cause of death for adolescents and young people aged 10–24 years. HIV prevention requires multisectoral approaches that target adolescents and young people, addressing...

3️⃣ Systematic review of cash plus interventions for adolescents in Africa:  bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

2️⃣ Revisions to TRANSFORM Curriculum to make it more gender-responsive and disability inclusive: socialprotection.org/learn/webina...

1️⃣ Evidence brief dispelling myths on cash transfers and gender in Africa: transfer.cpc.unc.edu/wp-content/u...