Cash transfers linked to sharp falls in child deprivation in Northern Uganda, groundbreaking Cardiff University study finds
5 February 2026
New Cardiff University-led research suggests direct income support helped families afford items Ugandans themselves identify as essentials for a decent childhood.
A study led by Dr Marco Pomati (Principal Investigator) and Professor Shailen Nandy (Co-Investigator) has found that child deprivation fell substantially among beneficiaries of Uganda’s Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF3), with the biggest improvements among households receiving direct cash-based support.
Published in Child Indicators Research, the paper provides the first detailed, evidence-based assessment of NUSAF3’s three main subcomponents using panel data collected at the start and end of the programme.
Dr Marco Pomati:
This is the first time this approach to poverty measurement has been used to measure changes among beneficiaries of a major social protection initiative.
“What struck us here is that we can see change in very practical, child-centred terms: fewer families reporting they can’t afford things like decent clothes and shoes, educational toys and games, a desk or chair and suitable space for homework, or even a small present once a year on special occasions.
“Because the index is based on 20 items that Ugandans themselves identify as necessities, a four-point fall isn’t abstract - it’s roughly four additional necessities that children can afford by the end of the programme. That’s exactly the kind of evidence policymakers need when deciding what forms of support make the biggest difference.”
NUSAF3 (2016–2021) aimed to reduce persistent poverty in Northern Uganda through different types of support including labour-intensive public works payments, household investment and livelihood support, and a sustainable livelihoods pilot.
The study uses a 20-item child deprivation index based on ‘socially perceived necessities’, or goods and services that a majority of people in Uganda agree children should have for an acceptable standard of living.
This meant that child poverty was measuredin a way that reflects what people consider ‘necessities’, rather than relying only on household income, expenditure, or a narrow checklist of ‘basic needs’. Items used in the analysis ranged from toiletries for daily use and decent clothes for important occasions to school materials, safe transport to school, and having a present once a year on special occasions.
Professor Shailen Nandy added, "This research shows the value of building child-centred evidence into social protection.
By working with the Office of the Prime Minister of Uganda and UNICEF partners and using a measure grounded in what people in Uganda agree children should have, we can track progress in a way that is both credible and useful, and we can do it in a way that keeps children’s lived experience at the centre of policy.
Dr. Moses Sichei, Chief of Social Policy and Social Protection at UNICEF Uganda, said, “This research is a major step in integrating child poverty measurements into social protection programmes.
“Its findings show the broad impact of NUSAF 3 on children, families, and communities, and have informed Uganda’s National Social Protection Strategy, with expected influence on future policy revisions.”
Find out more about the study and social science research at Cardiff University.
