Youth Savings Patterns and Performance in Ghana: A Supplementary Report

This report provides findings on youth savings patterns and performance of youth who opened formal savings accounts through Ghana’s HFC Bank. This report supplements a larger study on youth savings patterns and performance in Ghana, Kenya, Nepal, and Colombia through the YouthSave project

Sickle cell disease awareness and perception among Christian religious leaders in Accra metropolis:A qualitative study

Abstract Introduction Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a severe hemoglobin gene mutation disorder inherited from both parents. Two percent of Ghanaian newborns are affected by SCD; one in three Ghanaians has the hemoglobin S gene. Christian religious leaders may play a role in the prevention of SCD through the promotion of genetic counseling, genotype screening for premarital couples, and offering counseling to couples on prenatal screening and diagnosis for SCD. However, little is known about the awareness and perception of SCD among Christian religious leaders in Ghana, and this study aims to explore these. Methods This study adopted a qualitative descriptive design to explore the awareness and perception of SCD among Christian religious leaders in the capital city of Ghana. A purposive sampling technique selected 16 participants from churches under the main Christian groups. The participants were chosen based on their roles and responsibilities within their respective churches. Data was collected using a semi-structured interview guide, which included open-ended questions to encourage participants to share their thoughts and experiences. The interviews were conducted in a private setting to ensure confidentiality. The data was then analyzed using a thematic analysis approach, which involved identifying recurring themes and patterns in the participants' responses. Results The study's findings are crucial. They reveal a high awareness of SCD among Christian religious leaders, but also some misconceptions. Most of the religious leaders knew SCD was a genetic disease, although a few associated SCD with superstitious beliefs, poor dietary intake, and lifestyle. Some also stated that SCD was a disease of the blood group instead of the defective haemoglobin gene. They perceived SCD to be burdensome, disruptive, and draining, and they associated the disease with burnout in Persons Living with SCD (PLWSCD) and their families. The religious leaders had a good social network with PLWSCD, including family, friends, colleagues, and congregants. Conclusion These findings underscore the need for intense education about SCD, especially among Christian religious leaders. It is crucial to engage all stakeholders to intensify public awareness and education about SCD while improving the management and social support systems available to PLWSCD and families. This includes the religious institution's leadership, PLWSCD and families, the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, and the Ghana Education Service. As active stakeholders, religious leaders can play a vital role in supporting PLWSCD if they are equipped with the necessary knowledge about the condition

Youth Savings Around the World: Youth Characteristics, Savings Performance, and Potential Effects

Youth Savings Around the World: Youth Characteristics, Savings Performance, and Potential Effect

Youth and Saving in Ghana: A Baseline Report From the YouthSave Ghana Experiment

Youth and Saving in Ghana: A Baseline Report From the YouthSave Ghana Experimen

A Systems Biology Approach to Infectious Disease Research: Innovating the Pathogen-Host Research Paradigm

The twentieth century was marked by extraordinary advances in our understanding of microbes and infectious disease, but pandemics remain, food and waterborne illnesses are frequent, multidrug-resistant microbes are on the rise, and the needed drugs and vaccines have not been developed. The scientific approaches of the past—including the intense focus on individual genes and proteins typical of molecular biology—have not been sufficient to address these challenges. The first decade of the twenty-first century has seen remarkable innovations in technology and computational methods. These new tools provide nearly comprehensive views of complex biological systems and can provide a correspondingly deeper understanding of pathogen-host interactions. To take full advantage of these innovations, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases recently initiated the Systems Biology Program for Infectious Disease Research. As participants of the Systems Biology Program, we think that the time is at hand to redefine the pathogen-host research paradigm

Impacts of Financial Inclusion on Youth Development: Findings From the Ghana YouthSave Experiment

The Ghana YouthSave Experiment investigated whether and how youth savings accounts affect financial capability; psychosocial, education, and health outcomes; and economic well-being of Ghanaian youth and their households. The research rigor in the Ghana experiment is unprecedented in resource-limited countries; therefore, it offers an opportunity to posit causal relationships between savings and youth development. This endline report, which comes three years after the baseline report, describes the Ghana experiment and presents experimental findings of YouthSave. The key research questions this report aims to answer is whether the Ghana experiment improved (1) savings patterns and performance for low-income youth; (2) low-income youth’s financial capability; (3) expectations and aspirations; (4) academic performance; and (5) low-income youth’s health attitudes and behaviors, including sexual risk taking

Youth Savings Patterns and Performance in Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, and Nepal: YouthSave Research Report 2015

If offered an opportunity to save via formal financial services, will youth in developing countries participate, save, and accumulate assets? This is one of the key questions in YouthSave, a savings initiative implemented in four developing countries, targeting youth aged 12 to 18 years, from predominantly low-income households. This report presents two-year findings from a study that tracks account uptake and saving patterns and performance in youth savings accounts in four countries: Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, and Nepal. This savings demand assessment (SDA) is ambitious in its attempt to include systematic data on as many youth savers as possible. The result is a very large dataset that enables us to report in detail who is saving, and factors associated with saving patterns and performance. The report is divided into four sections: the ten key findings; the project summary; the body, which consists of Chapters 1 through 9 and summarizes information across all four countries; and the appendices, which include country-specific details and summary tables. A summary of findings appears at the end of each chapter

Youth Savings Patterns and Performance in Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, and Nepal

Youth Savings Patterns and Performance in Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, and Nepa

Youth Savings Patterns and Performance in Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, and Nepal: Executive Summary

This summary presents an overview of findings from the YouthSave Project\u27s 2015 research report Youth Savings Patterns and Performance in Columbia, Ghana, Kenya, and Nepal. Created in partnership with the MasterCard Foundation, YouthSave investigated the potential of savings accounts as a tool for youth development and financial inclusion in developing countries by co-designing tailored, sustainable savings products with local financial institutions and assessing their performance and development outcomes with local researchers. This study tracked account uptake, saving patterns, and savings performance in youth savings accounts in Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, and Nepal

Youth Savings Patterns and Performance in Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, and Nepal

Youth Savings Patterns and Performance in Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, and Nepa