Economic Empowerment Program Suubi-Maka

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Poverty
• Interventions: Behavioral: Suubi-Maka ('Hope for Families'); Other: Usual Care

• Registration Number: NCT01180114
• Lead Sponsor: Columbia University

Brief Summary

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

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.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2008-08
• Study First Submitted: 2010-07-14
• Study First Submitted QC: 2010-08-10
• Study First Posted: 2010-08-11
• Primary Completion: 2012-07
• Study Completion: 2012-07
• Status Verified: 2012-11
• Last Update Submitted: 2012-11-22
• Last Update Posted: 2012-11-27

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 300

Inclusion Criteria

1. An AIDS-orphaned child, defined as a child who has lost one or both parents to AIDS;
2. Enrolled in the last two years of primary school (even though possibly not attending regularly);
3. Between the ages of 11 to 16 years;
4. Living within a family.

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Exclusion Criteria

1. Any youth below 11 years or above 16 years at the time of enrollment in the study;
2. Any youth not enrolled in the final two years of primary school;
3. Any youth who does not self-identify as an AIDS-orphan;
4. Any youth not being raised primarily within a family context at the start of the study.

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
SUUBI-MAKA	Suubi-Maka ('Hope for Families')	Involves creating and broadening asset ownership opportunities and life options for children (ages 12 to 15 years) orphaned due to AIDS in Uganda.
Usual Care	Usual Care	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.

Primary Outcome Measures

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

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Mental health	24-month post-intervention	Self-esteem, depression, hopelessness, and helplessness scales
Social and family support	24-month post-intervention	Child-caregiver relationship, family cohesion, family communication, family support

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

St. Joseph's Matale Parish; 🇺🇬 Rakai, Uganda