Assessing the Longer Term Impact of Community-Driven Development Programs : Evidence from a Field Experiment in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Community-driven development programs are a popular model for service delivery and socioeconomic development, especially in countries reeling from civil strife. Despite their popularity, the evidence on their impact is mixed at best. Most studies t...
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| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2020
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/548521580495457933/Assessing-the-Longer-Term-Impact-of-Community-Driven-Development-Programs-Evidence-from-a-Field-Experiment-in-the-Democratic-Republic-of-Congo http://hdl.handle.net/10986/33296 |
| Summary: | Community-driven development programs
are a popular model for service delivery and socioeconomic
development, especially in countries reeling from civil
strife. Despite their popularity, the evidence on their
impact is mixed at best. Most studies thus far are based on
data collected during, or shortly after, program
implementation. Community-driven development's theory
of change, however, allows for a longer time frame for
program exposure to produce impact. This study examines the
longer term impact of a randomized community-driven
development program implemented in 1,250 villages in Eastern
Democratic Republic of Congo between 2007 and 2012. The
study team returned to these villages in 2015, eight years
after the onset of the program. The study finds evidence of
the physical endurance of infrastructure built by the
program. However, it finds no evidence that the program had
an impact on other dimensions of service provision, health,
education, economic welfare, women's empowerment,
governance, and social cohesion. These findings suggest
that, although community-driven development programs may
effectively deliver public infrastructure, longer term
impacts on economic development and social transformation
appear to be limited. |
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