PRESTO Policy Research Solutions

In this Q&A, health economist Jacob Novignon talks about the path that took him from mainstream economics into health economics, what PRESTO's evidence synthesis reveals about cash transfers and health, the stubborn myth about alcohol and tobacco, and why he believes the job of a researcher is to put the evidence where policymakers can find it. The Researcher Please tell us about yourself and your work with PRESTO. My name is Jacob Novignon. People often stumble over the surn

In this Q&A, Leah Prencipe talks about the study that first quantified the link between climate distress and youth mental health in Tanzania, the drivers of childhood violence, and why she believes clarity is not the opposite of rigor. The Researcher Can you walk us through your background and what led you to the work you do today? I was born in New York City to Italian immigrants who instilled in me the importance of education and hard work. While I did well academically in

This year, PRESTO will be highlighting work on interventions and programmes that improve social cohesion between diverse groups. Highlights will be drawn from PRESTO-led primary research, other work by our partners, and learnings from fora and conferences where we are presenting this year. The kick-off post in this series comes from Qimti Paienjton, an expert on social protection and early childhood. In this post, she describes a bibliotherapy and participatory co-creation in

PRESTO Researcher Spotlight Series | Issue 01 | Featuring Stephen Okiya At PRESTO, we believe that effective policy begins with rigorous evidence and the people committed to generating it. Our Researcher Spotlight series is designed to take you behind the scenes — introducing the individuals whose expertise, dedication, and curiosity drive the research and analysis that informs policy decisions across Africa and beyond. In this first installment, we sit down with Stephen Okiy

Social Protection and Youth Resilience: Evidence from Tanzania Adolescence is often described as a period of opportunity. However, significant challenges shape this period for many young people, particularly in low-income settings. Poverty, exposure to violence, family instability, and limited opportunities can have lasting effects, influencing not only their health and well-being but also their future economic prospects. These early-life hardships are commonly referred to as

Social safety net programs that aim to alleviate poverty may have protective effects against child maltreatment, even when programs are not

Navigating the complex journey of a PhD requires more than just academic skill, it demands a strategic balance.

Sarafina Safari and Natasha C. Allard After an immersive, hands-on week and a half of quantitative interviewer training, we walked into...

Patience Masi and Tia Palermo The Institute for Development Studies in Brighton, England, held a conference entitled “Reimagining Social...