Shoeing the Children: The Impact of the Toms Shoe Donation Program in Rural El Salvador

56 Pages Posted: 7 Oct 2016

See all articles by Bruce Wydick

Bruce Wydick

University of San Francisco - Department of Economics

Elizabeth Katz

University of San Francisco - Department of Economics

Flor Calvo

3ie Inc.

Felipe Gutierrez

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Brendan Janet

Independent

Date Written: September 14, 2016

Abstract

The study uses a cluster-randomized trial among 1,578 children from 979 households in rural El Salvador to test the impacts of TOMS shoe donations on children's time allocation, school attendance, health, self-esteem, and aid dependency. Results indicate high levels of usage and approval of the shoes by children in the treatment group, and time diaries show modest evidence that the donated shoes allocated children's time toward outdoor activities. Difference-in-difference and ANCOVA estimates find generally insignificant impacts on overall health, foot health, and self-esteem but small positive impacts on school attendance for boys. Children receiving the shoes were significantly more likely to state that outsiders should provide for the needs of their family. Thus, in a context where most children already own at least one pair of shoes, the overall impact of the shoe donation program appears to be negligible, illustrating the importance of more careful targeting of in-kind donation programs.

Keywords: Small Area Estimation Poverty Mapping, Poverty Assessment, Poverty Impact Evaluation, Governance Diagnostic Capacity Building, Poverty Lines, Poverty Diagnostics, Poverty Monitoring & Analysis, Educational Sciences

Suggested Citation

Wydick, Bruce and Katz, Elizabeth and Calvo, Flor and Gutierrez, Felipe and Janet, Brendan, Shoeing the Children: The Impact of the Toms Shoe Donation Program in Rural El Salvador (September 14, 2016). World Bank Policy Research Working Paper No. 7822, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2849122

Bruce Wydick (Contact Author)

University of San Francisco - Department of Economics ( email )

2130 Fulton Street
San Francisco, CA 94117-1080
United States

Elizabeth Katz

University of San Francisco - Department of Economics ( email )

2130 Fulton Street
San Francisco, CA 94117-1080
United States

Flor Calvo

3ie Inc. ( email )

1029 Vermont Avenue, NW
Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20005
United States

Felipe Gutierrez

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) ( email )

810 Vermont Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20420
United States

Brendan Janet

Independent ( email )

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