Publication: Nicaragua Social Investment Fund : Conditional Cash Transfer, a New Avenue for Social Funds?
Date
2002-02
ISSN
Published
2002-02
Author(s)
Vermehren, Andrea
Abstract
The note presents the case of the
Nicaragua Social Investment Fund (FISE), which accounts for
an impressive record, having financed a significant number
of projects in ten years (sixty percent of these benefiting
the education sector). Moreover, it reinforced rural water,
and municipal infrastructure projects, and strengthened its
engagement in local capacity building at the municipal, and
community levels. However, in the late 90s, it became clear
there were limits to the effectiveness of supply side
interventions, and both FISE, and the government began
thinking about strengthening the demand side, through new
ways to improve access to social services, and creating an
opportunity for inclusion of the most vulnerable,
particularly children living precariously in rural areas.
The Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program is examined, a
new window to finance cash transfers to extremely poor
families in selected rural areas. Yet, the remarkable
results of CCT questions its affordability, and
sustainability. The Government is now starting to prioritize
programs, and investments in the social sector to achieve
greater impact. As for the question of the program's
cost effectiveness, the Government is considering
undertaking a comparative analysis to assess results.
Citation
“Vermehren, Andrea. 2002. Nicaragua Social Investment Fund : Conditional Cash Transfer, a New Avenue for Social Funds?. Social Funds Innovation Updates; Vol. 2, No. 2. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/dcd93f81-976e-539e-b793-ef4c7f46963a License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”