A large number of NGO's (non-governmental organizations) espouse egalitarian values. The purpose of their humanitarian aide is to both provide support for people in need as well as attune those individuals to the values of civic society. However, it is essential to distinguish between language and practice. Is the aide actually having the desired impact? Empirically distinguishing between discourse and action (and especially the consequences of such action) is made more difficult by the selection process inherent in administering humanitarian programs. This is particularly true in the context of community based education because families and villages that choose to participate in a given program are likely to be those that already agree with the universal egalitarian values normally espoused by international NGO's.
This study employs experimental methods to estimate the causal effects of such a program, avoiding the empirical problems created by the endogenous formation of the community classes. This study involves a humanitarian education program implemented by Catholic Relief Services in Afghanistan beginning in February 2007. Taking advantage of an unusual opportunity to implement a rigorous research design in an early reconstruction context, researchers at Columbia University have formed a partnership with the US-based nongovernmental organization, Catholic Relief Services to implement random assignment of schools and program interventions to eligible villages. As part of the phase-in of this project, 80-100 villages will be initially identified as eligible to receive a community-based school. Half of these villages will be selected to receive a school in April 2007. The study investigates whether community-based education programs can shape the activities of children, teachers, and community members in targeted communities.
This study will also provide practical information on the effects of humanitarian aid programs in countries emerging from conflict. The randomized design will allow researchers to identify the effects of educational programs on students' well-being and life chances, and to evaluate the impact of key features of educational programs. This information can be used by policy makers in Afghanistan as well are government officials elsewhere and policymakers involved with NGO's.
