Policy Issue:
Kenya, as most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, are going through significant demographic changes. Estimates indicate that 11 million youths will be entering the labor market in Africa each year for the coming decade. These demographic changes are a unique opportunity to translate human capital accumulation into a more productive labor force. Yet, policymakers struggle to identify solutions to support employment creation and increase productivity of youth.
Emerging evidence from Nigeria indicates that tackling capital constraints in the context of a business plan competition (BPC) can be an effective way of supporting job creation. The proposed impact evaluation will use randomized controlled trial methodology to enrich the evidence in this topic. The study will examine the importance of screening, training and the size of grants in the context of a BPC. The most effective interventions in identifying high-growth entrepreneurs, as well as in providing adequate support in access to new skills and capital, can be integrated in future programs in Kenya and elsewhere in Africa.
Documents:
Design Brief (available upon request)
Detailed Methodology Note (available upon request)
Researchers:
Francisco Campos, Senior Economist, the World Bank
Chaning Jang, CSO, Busara Center for Behavioral Economics
Bilal Zia, Senior Economist, the World Bank
World Bank Competitive Policy Evaluation Lab
Baseline report |
Technical paper Policy note |