Browsing by Author "Shakespeare, Tom"

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    Evaluation of a disability-inclusive ultra-poor graduation programme in Uganda: study protocol for a cluster-randomised controlled trial with process evaluation
    (BioMed Central, 2024-03) Kipchumba, Elijah; Davey, Calum; Marks, Sarah; Mugeere, Anthony; Chen, Shanquan; Banks, Lena Morgon; Islam, Kazi Eliza; Shakespeare, Tom; Kuper, Hannah; Sulaiman, Munshi
    Abstract There is little evidence on how to support ultra-poor people with disabilities to adopt sustainable livelihoods. The Disability-Inclusive Graduation (DIG) programme targets ultra-poor people with disabilities and/or women living in rural Uganda. The programme is an adaptation of an ultra-poor graduation model that has been shown to be effective in many contexts but not evaluated for people with disabilities. The DIG programme works with project participants over a period of 18 months. Participants receive unconditional cash transfers for 6 months, training, access to savings-and-loans groups, and a capital asset that forms the basis of their new livelihood. The programme is also adapted to address specific barriers that people with disabilities face. Eligible households are clustered by geographical proximity in order to deliver the intervention. Eligibility is based on household screening to identify the 'ultra-poor' based on proxy means testing-both households with and without people with disabilities are included in the programme. Clusters are randomly selected prior to implementation, resulting in 96 intervention and 89 control clusters. The primary outcome of the trial is per-capita household consumption. Before the start of the intervention, a baseline household survey is conducted (November 2020) among project participants and those not offered the programme, a similar endline survey is conducted with participants with disabilities at the end of programme implementation in July 2022, and a second endline survey for all participants in October 2023. These activities are complemented by a process evaluation to understand DIG programme implementation, mechanisms, and context using complementary qualitative and quantitative methods. Ethical approval for the research has been received from Mildmay Uganda Research Ethics Committee and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. DIG is a promising intervention to evaluate for people with disabilities, adapted to be disability inclusive across programme components through extensive consultations and collaboration, and has proven efficacy at reducing poverty in other marginalised groups. However, evaluating a well-evidenced intervention among a new target group poses ethical considerations. Registry for International Development Impact Evaluations, RIDIE-STUDY-ID-626008898983a (20/04/22). ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN78592382 . Retrospectively registered on 17/08/2023.
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    Participatory research with youth with disabilities: Experiences from sub-Saharan Africa
    (African Online Scientific Information Systems (Pty) Ltd t/a AOSIS, 2024-10) Bannink Mbazzi, Femke; Hameed, Shaffa; Ganle, John K; Shakespeare, Tom; Polack, Sarah
    Background: Disability inclusive youth research, involving youth with disabilities in the design, implementation and dissemination of study data, is still limited in Africa.Objectives: To describe and reflect on the experiences of involving youth with disabilities in an exploratory research study, focused on disability-inclusive education and employment in 7 African countries.Method: 12 youths with different impairments, aged 18 to 35, were employed as researchers in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Uganda. Youth researchers contributed to the data collection and analysis of interviews with 210 youth with disabilities. 24 youth advisors with disabilities formed two youth advisory groups (YAG) of 12 advisors each in the regional hub countries Ghana and Uganda. The YAGs met 4 times during the project and contributed to the study design, data collection, data analysis and dissemination activities. In addition, 4 workshops were held with the Ugandan YAG to develop a participatory film.Results: Together with the youth participants, we reflected on the experiences of involving youth with disabilities and conducting research with, by and on youth with disabilities. We highlighted ethics and safeguarding, recruitment and representation, exploring experiences and data quality, participatory dissemination, accessibility, capacity building and networking as key areas of consideration and benefit in this project.Conclusion: Participatory research with youth with disabilities is feasible, enriching, and key to inclusive research that informs education and employment policy and practices.Contribution: Lessons learned from youth involvement in a disability inclusive research programme, focused on education and employment in 7 African countries.