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Social Income

Widows

In many communities in West Africa, a woman who loses her husband loses more than a partner. She loses access to land, income, and social standing. Often overnight. Social Income provides widows with three years of steady, monthly income. Enough to stabilize, provide for their children, and rebuild independence on their own terms.

Studies on widows and financial support

The Impact of Cash Transfer Programme on Vulnerable Women in Sierra Leone

A study on cash transfers for vulnerable women found that after receiving support, 49.85% of women could feed their children three times daily, up from 0% before. That's a dramatic shift.

Njala University Sierra Leone, 2016

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The Livelihood Impacts of Cash Transfers in Sub-Saharan Africa

Researchers documented how widows went from begging neighbors to making strategic investments. Even small, predictable cash flows restored their creditworthiness and gave them access to economic networks they were previously excluded from.

University of Reading, 2017

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Alleviating household poverty through emergency cash transfers

Emergency cash transfers to vulnerable families (many headed by widows) reduced food insecurity, improved access to healthcare, and lowered exposure to child labour.

UNICEF, 2020

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Survey results from widows

Question 1 (Multiple choice)

What are the key categories that you spend your Social Income payments on?

67 responses in 78 surveys

Follow-up question for 42 individuals who selected more than one category

Please rank the selected spending categories from the most important to the least.

42 responses in 78 surveys

Question 2 (Single choice)

Do you have any dependents?

124 responses in 128 surveys

Follow-up question for 117 individuals who said Yes

How many people depend on you financially?

117 responses in 128 surveys

Question 3 (Single choice)

What is your marital status?

123 responses in 128 surveys

Question 4 (Single choice)

Where do you live?

120 responses in 128 surveys

Question 5 (Single choice)

Are you currently attending school?

52 responses in 128 surveys

Question 6 (Single choice)

What is your current employment status?

125 responses in 128 surveys

Follow-up question for 63 individuals who said Not employed

Are you currently looking for work?

63 responses in 128 surveys

Question 7 (Single choice)

Do you have a disability or illness that affects your possibilities of getting work or keeping your job?

125 responses in 128 surveys

Question 8 (Single choice)

Do you or other family members in your household ever skip meals because there wasn't enough money for food?

53 responses in 128 surveys

Follow-up question for 25 individuals who said Yes

Did this happen last week?

25 responses in 128 surveys

Follow-up question for 10 individuals who said Yes

Did you skip more than 3 meals in the past week?

10 responses in 128 surveys

Question 9 (Single choice)

Do you have enough money to cover unexpected expenses like seeing a doctor?

124 responses in 128 surveys

Question 10 (Single choice)

Are you currently able to save money?

125 responses in 128 surveys

Question 11 (Single choice)

Are you in debt?

94 responses in 97 surveys

Follow-up question for 11 individuals who said Yes

Are you able to repay the debt?

11 responses in 97 surveys

Question 12 (Single choice)

Is anyone in your household in debt?

95 responses in 97 surveys

Follow-up question for 12 individuals who said Yes

Are you the main person repaying the debt?

12 responses in 97 surveys

Question 13 (Single choice)

Are you currently receiving any other form of financial support from anywhere else?

95 responses in 97 surveys

Question 14 (Free text)

What do you hope to achieve within the next 3 years with Social Income?

18 responses in 19 surveys

Question 15 (Free text)

What do you hope to achieve within the remaining time in the Social Income program?

67 responses in 78 surveys

Question 16 (Single choice)

Did Social Income make you feel financially more secure and independent?

31 responses in 31 surveys

Question 17 (Free text)

What impact did Social Income have on your life?

14 responses in 14 surveys

Question 18 (Single choice)

Have you achieved what you hoped to over the course of the last three years?

14 responses in 14 surveys

Follow-up question for 2 individuals who said No

What has kept you from achieving this goal? Is there something we could have done to further support you? (e.g. mentoring, connections)

2 responses in 14 surveys

Question 19 (Single choice)

Has Social Income made you feel happier?

14 responses in 14 surveys

Follow-up question for 14 individuals who said Yes

How so?

0 responses in 14 surveys

Follow-up question for 0 individuals who said No

Can you tell us why?

0 responses in 14 surveys

Question 20 (Single choice)

Was three years of Social Income payments long enough to become financially stable?

31 responses in 31 surveys

Question 1 (Multiple choice)

What are the key categories that you spend your Social Income payments on?

67 responses in 78 surveys

Follow-up question for 42 individuals who selected more than one category

Please rank the selected spending categories from the most important to the least.

42 responses in 78 surveys

Question 2 (Single choice)

Do you have any dependents?

124 responses in 128 surveys

Follow-up question for 117 individuals who said Yes

How many people depend on you financially?

117 responses in 128 surveys

Question 3 (Single choice)

What is your marital status?

123 responses in 128 surveys

Question 4 (Single choice)

Where do you live?

120 responses in 128 surveys

Question 5 (Single choice)

Are you currently attending school?

52 responses in 128 surveys

Question 6 (Single choice)

What is your current employment status?

125 responses in 128 surveys

Follow-up question for 63 individuals who said Not employed

Are you currently looking for work?

63 responses in 128 surveys

Question 7 (Single choice)

Do you have a disability or illness that affects your possibilities of getting work or keeping your job?

125 responses in 128 surveys

Question 8 (Single choice)

Do you or other family members in your household ever skip meals because there wasn't enough money for food?

53 responses in 128 surveys

Follow-up question for 25 individuals who said Yes

Did this happen last week?

25 responses in 128 surveys

Follow-up question for 10 individuals who said Yes

Did you skip more than 3 meals in the past week?

10 responses in 128 surveys

Question 9 (Single choice)

Do you have enough money to cover unexpected expenses like seeing a doctor?

124 responses in 128 surveys

Question 10 (Single choice)

Are you currently able to save money?

125 responses in 128 surveys

Question 11 (Single choice)

Are you in debt?

94 responses in 97 surveys

Follow-up question for 11 individuals who said Yes

Are you able to repay the debt?

11 responses in 97 surveys

Question 12 (Single choice)

Is anyone in your household in debt?

95 responses in 97 surveys

Follow-up question for 12 individuals who said Yes

Are you the main person repaying the debt?

12 responses in 97 surveys

Question 13 (Single choice)

Are you currently receiving any other form of financial support from anywhere else?

95 responses in 97 surveys

Question 14 (Free text)

What do you hope to achieve within the next 3 years with Social Income?

18 responses in 19 surveys

Question 15 (Free text)

What do you hope to achieve within the remaining time in the Social Income program?

67 responses in 78 surveys

Question 16 (Single choice)

Did Social Income make you feel financially more secure and independent?

31 responses in 31 surveys

Question 17 (Free text)

What impact did Social Income have on your life?

14 responses in 14 surveys

Question 18 (Single choice)

Have you achieved what you hoped to over the course of the last three years?

14 responses in 14 surveys

Follow-up question for 2 individuals who said No

What has kept you from achieving this goal? Is there something we could have done to further support you? (e.g. mentoring, connections)

2 responses in 14 surveys

Question 19 (Single choice)

Has Social Income made you feel happier?

14 responses in 14 surveys

Follow-up question for 14 individuals who said Yes

How so?

0 responses in 14 surveys

Follow-up question for 0 individuals who said No

Can you tell us why?

0 responses in 14 surveys

Question 20 (Single choice)

Was three years of Social Income payments long enough to become financially stable?

31 responses in 31 surveys

Connect

Resources

Our work

Widows

Studies on widows and financial support

The Impact of Cash Transfer Programme on Vulnerable Women in Sierra Leone

The Livelihood Impacts of Cash Transfers in Sub-Saharan Africa

Alleviating household poverty through emergency cash transfers

Survey results from widows

What are the key categories that you spend your Social Income payments on?

Please rank the selected spending categories from the most important to the least.

Do you have any dependents?

How many people depend on you financially?

What is your marital status?

Where do you live?

Are you currently attending school?

What is your current employment status?

Are you currently looking for work?

Do you have a disability or illness that affects your possibilities of getting work or keeping your job?

Do you or other family members in your household ever skip meals because there wasn't enough money for food?

Did this happen last week?

Did you skip more than 3 meals in the past week?

Do you have enough money to cover unexpected expenses like seeing a doctor?

Are you currently able to save money?

Are you in debt?

Are you able to repay the debt?

Is anyone in your household in debt?

Are you the main person repaying the debt?

Are you currently receiving any other form of financial support from anywhere else?

What do you hope to achieve within the next 3 years with Social Income?

What do you hope to achieve within the remaining time in the Social Income program?

Did Social Income make you feel financially more secure and independent?

What impact did Social Income have on your life?

Have you achieved what you hoped to over the course of the last three years?

What has kept you from achieving this goal? Is there something we could have done to further support you? (e.g. mentoring, connections)

Has Social Income made you feel happier?

How so?

Can you tell us why?

Was three years of Social Income payments long enough to become financially stable?

What are the key categories that you spend your Social Income payments on?

Please rank the selected spending categories from the most important to the least.

Do you have any dependents?

How many people depend on you financially?

What is your marital status?

Where do you live?

Are you currently attending school?

What is your current employment status?

Are you currently looking for work?

Do you have a disability or illness that affects your possibilities of getting work or keeping your job?

Do you or other family members in your household ever skip meals because there wasn't enough money for food?

Did this happen last week?

Did you skip more than 3 meals in the past week?

Do you have enough money to cover unexpected expenses like seeing a doctor?

Are you currently able to save money?

Are you in debt?

Are you able to repay the debt?

Is anyone in your household in debt?

Are you the main person repaying the debt?

Are you currently receiving any other form of financial support from anywhere else?

What do you hope to achieve within the next 3 years with Social Income?

What do you hope to achieve within the remaining time in the Social Income program?

Did Social Income make you feel financially more secure and independent?

What impact did Social Income have on your life?

Have you achieved what you hoped to over the course of the last three years?

What has kept you from achieving this goal? Is there something we could have done to further support you? (e.g. mentoring, connections)

Has Social Income made you feel happier?

How so?

Can you tell us why?

Was three years of Social Income payments long enough to become financially stable?

Widows in Need

Sierra Leone Unconditional