David Ansong

Parental Involvement and Academic Performance in Ghana

Introduction 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 to 18 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).

Livestock or the Pen: The Effects of Inheritance and Education on Poverty Among Pastoralists

Samburu pastoralists in northern Kenya experience chronic poverty and often express the belief that formal education may be an alternative route out of poverty. The roles of parental wealth, livestock inheritance and formal education in household wealth (measured in livestock holdings) and income are investigated using quantitative and qualitative research methods and building on our long-term research among the Samburu. Findings from qualitative interviews examine how livestock are passed from one generation to the next, illuminating the important role of inter vivos transfers of livestock in distributing wealth among sons, and the advantages of being part of a wealthy family for retaining and rebuilding herds. Interviews indicate that Samburu people are sending more children to school, with the belief that it constitutes one means to overcome poverty through employment and gains in skills and knowledge. Quantitative analyses indicate that parental wealth and primary education, but not amount of livestock inherited, are positively associated with household wealth status. While individuals with primary education have higher incomes on average than those with less education, the difference in income is not statistically significant. Thus, while livestock inheritance does not translate directly into greater wealth in the next generation, there do appear to be structural advantages to membership in a wealthier family.

Financial Literacy to Financial Capability: Building Financial Stability and Security

An increasingly financialized world requires people to make more complex financial calculations and decisions throughout their lives. This fact has led to appeals for improved financial literacy and financial behaviour. Although optimal household financial decision-making and use of mainstream financial products and services can help, these strategies will fall short of building financial stability and security, especially in financially vulnerable households. This chapter suggests that society also has an obligation to shape financial products, services, and public policies in ways that benefit those at the bottom of the economic ladder. This notion is embodied in an alternative conceptualization of financial capability. Financial capability is an individual and structural idea that combines people’s ability to act with their opportunity to act. From this perspective, financial capability does not reside within the individual, but rather in the relationship between the individual and social institutions. This chapter examines conceptualization of financial capability, its measurement, and growing evidence from developed and less developed economies.

Gendered geographical inequalities in junior high school enrollment: Do infrastructure, human, and financial resources matter?

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the spatial patterns of gender inequality in junior high school enrollment and the educational resource investments associated with the spatial trends. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses data on 170 districts in Ghana and hot spot analysis based on the Getis-Ord Gi statistic, linear regression, and geographically weighted regression to assess spatial variability in gender parity in junior high school enrollment and its association with resource allocation. Findings The results reveal rural-urban and north-south variability in gender parity. Results show that educational resources contribute to gender parity. At the national level, educational expenditure, and the number of classrooms, teachers, and available writing places have the strongest positive associations with girls’ enrollment. These relationships are spatially moderated, such that predominantly rural and Northern districts experience the most substantial benefits of educational investments. Practical implications The findings show that strategic allocation of infrastructure, financial, and human resources through local governments holds promise for a more impactful and sustainable educational development of all children, regardless of gender. Besides seeking solutions that address the lack of resources at the national level, there is a need for locally tailored efforts to remove the barriers to equitable distribution of educational resources across gender and socioeconomic groups. Originality/value This paper’s use of advanced spatial analysis techniques allows for in-depth examination of gender parity and investments in educational resources, and highlights the spatial nuances in how such investments predict gender disparities in junior high school enrollment. The findings speak to the need for targeted and localized efforts to address gender and geographical disparities in educational opportunities.

Predictors of Capacity-Building Needs Among Nongovernmental Organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) play important roles in social development in the Global South. However, little evidence exists concerning NGOs’ capacity-building needs. We sought to understand organizational and network factors that explain capacity-building needs. Using an online survey of 282 NGOs in Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria, we found high levels of capacity-building need, particularly concerning resource development. Using multivariate analyses, we found greater staff size predicted less overall capacity-building need based on a 15-item index (α = .88). Examining individual capacities, receiving at least half of funding from international sources and prior capacity-building assistance were consistent predictors of lower odds of capacity-building need.

Spatial analysis of the distribution and determinants of bank branch presence in Ghana

Purpose – Expanding access to financial services for the 70 percent of Ghanaians who are unbanked is critical. Bank branches have been the primary channel for financial service delivery, but this may be changing because of technological innovations. Analysts believe branch-based banking still has a role in promoting financial inclusion. The purpose of this paper is to examine the pattern of bank branch presence across rural and urban Ghana; the disparities in the spatial distribution of domestic, foreign, and rural and community bank branches; and the district level characteristics associated with the pattern of spatial distribution of bank branches. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses spatial analyst tools, geographically weighted Poisson regression, and data from Ghana’s banking sector to show the inequality in availability of branch-based services and to highlight the district and regional level differences in the determinants of branch allocation. Findings – The study finds evidence of inequa...