Scaling Graduation through government: case study synthesis paper

Extensive research indicates that the Graduation approach is an effective way to move households out of extreme poverty and into sustainable livelihoods, producing lasting benefits. Governments have increasingly recognised the value of the approach as a complement to their existing poverty alleviation programmes. However, limited practical knowledge exists on the process of effectively designing and delivering these sequenced, multi-component programmes via government systems at scale.

BRAC undertook case studies of four government Graduation programmes in countries that have collectively reached over 500,000 participants in order to explore this issue. The four case studies, from Kenya, Senegal, Ethiopia, and Paraguay, represent a range of different types of programmes and contexts. The analysis used an analytical framework called the Strategic Triangle of Effective Policy Design, which outlines three elements for a government policy or programme to succeed at scale: political supportability (necessary buy-in), technical correctness (programme design/effectiveness) and administrative feasibility (implementability). This synthesis and each case study examine the design and implementation of the programmes through this lens.