The overall goal of this R34 is to further develop and examine a family economic empowerment intervention, called SUUBI-MAKA, that creates economic opportunities for families in Uganda who are caring for children orphaned due to the AIDS pandemic, and to lay the groundwork for an R01. 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. There will be three assessment points: baseline (pre-test), 12-month, and 24-month post-intervention. The effectiveness of SUUBI-MAKA will be compared with the Usual care on: children'educational experience, psychosocial development, sexual risk taking, and mental health, caregiver's attitudes and capacities, and family and caregiving relationships.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Planning Grant (R34)
Project #
5R34MH081763-03
Application #
7886642
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZMH1-ERB-H (06))
Program Officer
Kamath, Susannah M Allison
Project Start
2008-08-01
Project End
2012-07-31
Budget Start
2010-08-01
Budget End
2012-07-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$280,428
Indirect Cost
Name
Columbia University (N.Y.)
Department
Other Health Professions
Type
Schools of Social Work
DUNS #
049179401
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10027
Osuji, Hadiza L; Nabunya, Proscovia; Byansi, William et al. (2018) Social support and school outcomes of adolescents orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS living in South Western Uganda. Vulnerable Child Youth Stud 13:228-238
Ssewamala, Fred M; Karimli, Leyla; Torsten, Neilands et al. (2016) Applying a Family-Level Economic Strengthening Intervention to Improve Education and Health-Related Outcomes of School-Going AIDS-Orphaned Children: Lessons from a Randomized Experiment in Southern Uganda. Prev Sci 17:134-43
Jennings, Larissa; Ssewamala, Fred M; Nabunya, Proscovia (2016) Effect of savings-led economic empowerment on HIV preventive practices among orphaned adolescents in rural Uganda: results from the Suubi-Maka randomized experiment. AIDS Care 28:273-82
Ssewamala, Fred M (2015) Optimizing the 'demographic dividend' in young developing countries: The role of contractual savings and insurance for financing education. Int J Soc Welf 24:248-262
Karimli, Leyla; Ssewamala, Fred M (2015) Do Savings Mediate Changes in Adolescents' Future Orientation and Health-Related Outcomes? Findings From Randomized Experiment in Uganda. J Adolesc Health 57:425-32
Karimli, Leyla; Ssewamala, Fred M; Neilands, Torsten B et al. (2015) Matched Child Savings Accounts in Low-Resource Communities: Who Saves? Glob Soc Welf 2:53-64
Wang, Julia Shu-Huah; Ssewamala, Fred M; Han, Chang-Keun (2014) Family economic strengthening and mental health functioning of caregivers for AIDS-affected children in rural Uganda. Vulnerable Child Youth Stud 9:258-269
Karimli, Leyla; Ssewamala, Fred M; Neilands, Torsten B (2014) Poor Families Striving to Save in Matched Children's Savings Accounts: Findings from a Randomized Experimental Design in Uganda. Soc Serv Rev 88:658-694
Nabunya, Proscovia; Ssewamala, Fred M; Ilic, Vilma (2014) Family Economic Strengthening and Parenting Stress Among Caregivers of AIDS-Orphaned Children: Results from a Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial in Uganda. Child Youth Serv Rev 44:417-421
Han, Chang-Keun; Ssewamala, Fred M; Wang, Julia Shu-Huah (2013) Family economic empowerment and mental health among AIDS-affected children living in AIDS-impacted communities: evidence from a randomised evaluation in southwestern Uganda. J Epidemiol Community Health 67:225-30

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