Session: INVITED SYMPOSIA: (Society for Social Work and Research 14th Annual Conference: Social Work Research: A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES)

In most parts of sub-Saharan Africa, there are few public welfare programs to serve orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC). As a result, the burden of raising OVC falls primarily on extended families with limited resources. Against this backdrop, several organizations are initiating innovative efforts to strengthen families in the care and support of this marginalized group of children. The Suubi intervention (meaning hope in a local Ugandan language), is one such initiative designed to relax income constraints–through economic strengthening of OVC and their families—using children savings accounts for education and family small-business development. This session covers the conceptual framework guiding Suubi, the rigorous research methodologies used to evaluate its impact, and the key findings.