Impact of the Child-optimized Financial Education (COFE) curriculum among savings group participants in Uganda

This publication highlights the joint collaboration between CRS Uganda and multiple PIQA teams (microfinance, social services and MEAL) to adapt, revise, research and support the scaling of our Child-optimized Financial Education (COFE) curriculum. Through a close collaboration with the Duke University Global Health Institute, we conducted an impact evaluation, which is formally published in the Journal of Development Effectiveness: “Impact of the Child-optimized Financial Education (COFE) curriculum among savings group participants in Uganda: A cluster randomised controlled trial.” This rigorous research demonstrated that caregiver participation in SILC groups that included COFE resulted in greater caregiver payment of children’s required school expenses compared to participation in savings groups alone. COFE, therefore. has potential for delivery to caregiver and community groups interested in improving their financial knowledge, skills and practices to better care for their families and children.