Supporting Women’s Livelihoods at Scale: Evidence from a Nationwide Multi-Faceted Program

Abstract

The success of multi-faceted “graduation” programs in reducing poverty raises three questions: Can their impacts be replicated when implemented by governments at scale? Can these bundled programs be streamlined for broader reach? And, do positive effects risk being offset by negative spillovers? This study examines a nationwide livelihood program implemented by the Zambian government and finds large, sustained increases in consumption and earnings—comparable to those of the most effective multi-faceted programs—without negative economic spillovers on non-beneficiaries. A treatment arm providing only financial capital achieved similar gains, consistent with evidence on the welfare impacts of direct cash transfers but with the added advantage of persistent income generation effects. These results point to a middle-ground approach between simple capital infusions, which often lack long-term impact, and complex graduation models that may be challenging for governments to implement at scale, offering a scalable and sustainable strategy for poverty alleviation.