The Effects Of A Universal Basic Income In Kenya

This project evaluates the impact of Universal Basic Income (UBI) on household resilience during economic crises, in the context of  Kenya’s COVID-19 pandemic.. In collaboration with GiveDirectly and Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), researchers implemented a randomized evaluation involving 14,474 households across 295 villages, providing long-term, short-term, or lump-sum unconditional cash transfers via mobile money. Results show that UBI improved food security, reduced hunger, and enhanced mental well-being without undermining compliance with public health measures. Long-term transfers had the most durable effects, boosting consumption and income diversification, though none were large enough to fully offset income losses, particularly among small enterprises hardest hit by the pandemic.