The Ghana School Feeding Programme (SFP) was introduced in 2005 to improve educational and health outcomes. Due to the role the intervention has played in meeting its objectives, the review was conceived to assess the impact of the intervention on anthropometric, behavioural, cognitive, and health and nutritional outcomes. A systematic review search for non-experimental and quasi-experimental studies was conducted on different databases, websites and reference lists of selected studies. Both quantitative and qualitative studies were included in the review. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria and they report on the role of Ghanaian's school feeding programme as an intervention that the government is using to improve educational and health outcomes of beneficiaries. Different evaluation methods were used to assess the impact of SFP, six studies used post study design, only one study adopted Difference-in-Differences(DID)technique, five studies used a pre-post study, two studies embraced a cross-sectional study and one study adopted comparative analysis. Outcomes measured by the studies include enrolment, attendance, retention and academic performance. Others are wasting, thinness and stunting.Supporting evidence shows that the school feeding programme improved educational and health outcomes. However, the evidence of food for education on cognitive development was weak. Food for education is a social safety net that stakeholders in developing countries are using to encourage pupil enrolment, attendance and the improvement of academic performance. While the intervention played a pivotal role in these regards, there were other challenges that affected the intervention in achieving its main objective.

Microfinance was introduced in Nigeria in 2005 to give microcredit to the poor, especially the petty traders. This was to allow them to expand their businesses, increase sales and earn income. This study systematically assessed the impact of the microcredit in poverty reduction. A systematic search for quasi-experimental, observation and comparative studies published between 2008 and 2018 was conducted in five literature databases, lists of relevant studies and websites. Both qualitative and quantitative studies were included in the review and their quality assessed. Inclusion criteria were met by twenty studies. These studies showed how microcredit influence poverty reduction among petty traders who are beneficiaries of microcredit. Among these studies, fourteen focused on microfinance and poverty reduction and seven dealt with microcredit and poverty alleviation. Most studies were quantitative, eight had mixed methods and one had a qualitative analysis. Among the included studies, nineteen supported the hypothesis that microcredit contributes to poverty reduction and only one study objected to this hypothesis. While the findings of this review have revealed that microcredit is a strategy for poverty reduction, there are some challenges that hinder the accessibility to microcredit. This calls for government actions to review its microcredit policy.

There have been contentious academic debates on the validity of Micro-Finance Institutions (MFIs) impacting women’s empowerment positively. Some empirical findings have revealed that micro-finance services act as a panacea toward empowering women. However, there has been sharp criticism from some economic experts on the notion that micro-finance can aid women’s empowerment. This paper examines the impact of micro-credit on women’s empowerment in Lagos, Nigeria. Using the quantitative method from Lagos, the study shows women who take part in MFIs projects have been empowered economically and socially. In all, a total of 40 women who are clients to micro-finance institutions participated in the survey. The data obtained were analysed and transcribed. The results show a significant improvement in the household well-being, income and employment, and women’s empowerment, as a result of participating in micro-finance programmes. However, all the respondents bemoaned the high interest rates being charged by the MFIs, as a result of this, the paper recommends that the regulatory authority should monitor the conduct of most of the MFIs vis a vis the high interest rate.

This paper summarises the arguments and counterarguments within the scientific discussion on cash transfers and child nutrition. The main purpose of the research is to assess the effectiveness of cash transfers in improving nutritional outcomes in vulnerable children in sub-Saharan Africa. Systematisation of the literary sources indicates that studies have justified cash transfer as social-income support that addresses a vital social determinant of health (income) for children in low-and-middle-income countries. The methodological basis of this study is a systematic review that searched a wide range of academic and grey literature databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. This study included cluster-randomised controlled trials (R.C.T.s), randomised controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, mixed-methods studies, and non-randomised cluster trials. Studies included in this systematic review were screened for their eligibility. The systematic review uses the Cochrane data collection form to extract data from the included studies. It was not feasible to statistically combine the results of the studies due to the heterogeneity of most of the studies. Preferably, the review employs a narrative synthesis to present the estimated effects of cash transfers on children’s nutritional outcomes. The systematic review presents the results of data synthesis, of which eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the evidence from the systematic review indicates that cash transfer programmes targeted at children effectively improve anthropometric and nutritional outcomes. Further research is needed to spell out the multiple pathways to how cash transfers improve children’s nutritional outcomes. Moreover, this systematic review shows the importance of cash transfers in improving child nutrition. Policymakers should continue to employ institutional mechanisms to strengthen the nutritional status of children, especially the vulnerable ones since cash transfer intervention is a temporary measure.

This paper summarizes the arguments and counterarguments within the scientific discussion on cash transfers and child health. The main purpose of the research is to assess the effects of cash transfers on children’s health and development outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. Systematization of the literary sources indicates that studies have justified cash transfer as social-income support that addresses a vital social determinant of health (income) for children in low-and-middle-income countries. The methodological basis of this study is a systematic review that searched a wide range of electronic databases such as PubMed, ResearchGate and ScienceDirect. Studies included in this review included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cluster-RCTs, quasi-experimental and mixed methods studies of cash transfer interventions in children 0-18 years. Inclusion criteria were met by eight studies, four from Africa and four from Latin America. The systematic review presents the results of data synthesis of the included studies that mainly reported the effects of cash transfer programmes on child anthropometry outcomes, cognitive development, morbidity, and healthcare utilization. The review found cash transfer programmes to improve these variables among children in households receiving cash transfers. This systematic review has added to the debate on cash transfers and children’s health outcomes. In general, the systematic review indicates that cash transfer programmes intended for children are effective at improving anthropometric, health, and cognitive outcomes, as well as access to healthcare. However, there is a need for more research to clarify the multiple pathways by which cash transfers can improve children’s health and nutritional outcomes. It is also necessary to clarify what factors explain the variety of effects of cash transfer programs on child health and nutritional status. Finally, cash transfer interventions are not permanent mechanisms for promoting access to healthcare. Policymakers in developing countries should borrow ideas on how to finance healthcare services for improving the socio-economic wellbeing of citizens.