Bio:

Dr. Fred Ssewamala is an Associate Professor of Social Work and International Affairs at Columbia University School of Social Work; a Global Thought Fellow with Columbia University; and a Senior Research Fellow with New America Foundation. Dr. Ssewamala has several years of practice in the International Social Development field. His practice experience includes serving at the Red Cross (Uganda), where he acted in several programmatic positions related to designing projects and programs for poverty alleviation and community development, and at Justine Petersen Housing and Reinvestment Corporation a 501(c) (3) Missouri (USA) not-for-profit corporation that assists low-to-moderate income individuals and families become homeowners, access financial institutions, start their own micro-businesses, and accumulate assets.

His current research on Africa is funded by a consortium of organizations, including the National Institute of Health, and New America Foundation. This research focuses on asset-ownership development and creating life options through economic empowerment models for Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in sub-Saharan Africa. Professor Ssewamala is also currently researching the acceptability and feasibility of economic empowerment interventions in poor African immigrant communities in the urban U.S.

Research Interests:

• International Social and Economic Development
• Comparative Social Welfare Policy
• Anti-Poverty Policies [with emphasis on asset-building and asset-based policies, such as microentrepreneurship, homeownership, children's educational savings accounts & individual development accounts(IDAs)].
• Creating Asset Ownership Opportunities among orphaned children in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Gender and Development
• Civil Society, Civic Participation, and Social Networks
• Evaluative Research

Awards and Honors:

• Ford Foundation Research Fellow
• Recipient of George Warren Brown School of Social Work Dissertation Scholarship
• Social Development Scholar, Washington University in St. Louis
• Recipient of the Paulo Freire Scholarship, Washington University in St. Louis
  

Current Grants & Projects:

• Child Development Accounts (CDA) in Nigeria (Bayelsa State). 2009-2010. Funded by Bayelsa State in partnership with the World Bank.
• Increasing Life Options for At-Risk Minority Urban Youth: Replicating an Economic Intervention Model for South Bronx, New York. 2007-2009
• The SUUBI Program: Creating Asset-Ownership Opportunities and Health Promotion Among Orphaned Children in Uganda
• SEED Uganda: Asset-Ownership Development Among Orphaned Children in Uganda
• Asset-Ownership Programs and Policies in Africa
• Integrating Savings and Credit
• Institutional Determinants of Saving Behavior in an Individual Development Account (IDA) Program
• SUUBI MAKA (“Hope for Families”): A Family-Based Economic Empowerment Model for Orphaned Children in Uganda

Select Publications & Presentations:

Journal Articles
Ssewamala, F. M., Ismayilova, L., McKay, M., Sperber, E., Bannon, W., Alicea, S. (in press). Gender and the Effects of an Economic Empowerment Program on Attitudes Toward Sexual Risk-Taking Among AIDS-Orphaned Adolescent Youth in Uganda. Journal of Adolescent Health.

Ssewamala, F. M., Chang-Keun, H., Neilands, T., Ismayilova, L., Sperber, E. (in press). The Effect of Economic Assets on Sexual Risk Taking Intentions Among Orphaned Adolescents in Uganda. American Journal of Public Health.

Curley, J., Ssewamala, F.M., Chang-Keun, H. (in press). Assets and Educational Outcomes: Child Development Accounts (CDAs) for Orphaned Children in Uganda. Children and Youth Services Review.

Ssewamala, F. M. & Ismayilova, L. (in press). Integrating Children Savings Accounts in the Care and Support of Orphaned Adolescents in Rural Uganda. Social Service Review.

Curley, J., Ssewamala, F. M., & Sherraden, M. (forthcoming, 2009). Institutions and Saving in Low Income Families. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare.

Ssewamala, F. M., Chang-Keun, H., & Neilands, T. (2009). Asset Ownership and Health and Mental Health Functioning among AIDS-Orphaned Adolescents: Findings from a Randomized Clinical Trial in Rural Uganda. Social Science and Medicine, 69(2): 191-198.

Ssewamala, F. M., Alicea, S., Bannon, W., & Ismayilova, L. (2008). A Novel Economic Intervention to Reduce HIV Risks among School-going AIDS-Orphaned Children in Rural Uganda. Journal of Adolescent Health, 42(1): 102-104.

Lombe, M. & Ssewamala, F. M. (2007) The role of Informal Social Networks in Micro-Savings Mobilization. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, XXXIV (3): 37-51

Ssewamala, F. M., Lombe, M. & Curley, J. (2006). Using Individual Development Accounts for Microenterprise Development in the United States. Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, 11(2): 117-131

Ssewamala, F. M. & Curley, J (2006). Asset ownership and School Attendance of Orphaned Children in Sub-Saharan Africa. Social Development Issues, 28(2): 84-105

Grinstein-Weiss, M., Wagner, K., & Ssewamala, F. M. (2006). Saving and Asset Accumulation among Low-Income Families with Children in IDAS. Children and Youth Services Review, 28(2): 193-211

Ssewamala, F. M. & Sherraden, M. (2004). Integrating Savings into Microenterprise Programs for the Poor: Do Institutions Matter? Social Service Review, 78(3): 404-428.

Ssewamala, F. M. (2004). Expanding Women's Opportunities: the Potential of Heifer Projects in sub-Saharan Africa. Development in Practice, 14(4): 550-559.

Sherraden, M.S ., Ssewamala, F. M. & Sanders, C.K. (2003). Microenterprise Performance: A Comparison of Experiences in the United States and Uganda. Social Development Issues, 25(1-2): 219-234.

Book Chapters
Ssewamala, F. M. & Ismayilova, L. (2008). Faith-based Institutions as Project Implementers: An Innovative Economic Empowerment Intervention for Care and Support of AIDS-Orphaned and Vulnerable Children in Rural Uganda. In Pamela Joshi, Stephanie Hawkins and Jeffrey Novey (Eds.) edited volume, Innovations in Effective Compassion: Compendium of Research Papers for the White House FBO Conference (pp.213-235). US Department of Health and Human Services. Available here.

Ssewamala, F. M. & Sperber, E. (in press). International Work: Power, Knowledge and Social Interventions in the Globalized World.  In Barbara Simon and Warren Green(Eds.), Guide to Writing in 21st Century Social Work, Columbia University Press.

Sherraden, M. S.; Sanders, C. K.; Sherraden. M. & Ssewamala, F. M. (2004). Resources for Microenterprise. In Margaret Sherraden & Cynthia Sanders (Eds.), Kitchen Capitalism: Microenterprise in Low-Income Households. SUNY Press.

Manuscripts Under Review
Ssewamala, F. M., Sperber, E., & Zimmerman, J. Savings-Led Asset Development Programs: Prospects for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Menon N., Ismayilova L., & Ssewamala, F. M. Maternal Education, Households Assets and Child Health Outcomes: A Comparative Study of Uganda and India.

Alicea, S., Ssewamala, F. M., Nabunya, P., & Querna, K. Integrating a Mentorship Component into Economic Empowerment Interventions Targeting Ugandan Orphans.

Ssewamala, F. M., Karimli, L., Chang-Keun, H., & Ismayilova, L. Social Support, Savings, and Educational Outcomes of Orphaned Adolescents in Sub-Saharan African: Prospects for Family-level Economic Strengthening Programs.

Working Papers and Reports
Ssewamala, F. M., & Sperber, E. (2008). “The Potential for Asset-Based Programs and Policies in Addressing Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa”. Washington DC: New America Foundation.

Ssewamala, F. M., Lombe, M. & Curley, J.C. (2006). Using Individual Development Accounts for Microenterprise Development. (CSD Working Paper 06-08). St. Louis: Washington University, Center for Social Development. Available here.

Ssewamala, F. M. (2005). Children Development Accounts in Africa : A Pilot Study. (Working paper No. 05-05). St. Louis : Washington University, Center for Social Development. Available here.

Ssewamala, F. M., & Curley, J. (2005). Increasing Life Chances for Orphaned Children in Africa : Testing an Asset-based Development Strategy (CSD Working Paper 05-01). St. Louis : Washington University, Center for Social Development. Available here.

Grinstein-Weiss, M., Wagner, K. & Ssewamala, F. M. (2005). Saving and Asset Accumulation among Low-Income Families with Children in IDAs (CSD Working Paper 05-09). St. Louis : Washington University, Center for Social Development. Available here.

Sherraden, M.S., McBride, A.M. Johnson, E., Hanson, S., Ssewamala, F. M., Shanks, T.R. (2005). Saving in Low-Income Households: Evidence from Interviews with Participants in the American Dream Demonstration. Research report. St. Louis : Washington University, Center for Social Development. Available here.

Sherraden, M.S., Williams, T. McBride, A.M., & Ssewamala, F. M. (2004) Overcoming poverty: Supported saving as a household development strategy (Working paper No. 04-13). St. Louis : Washington University, Center for Social Development. Available here.

Ssewamala, F. M. & Sherraden, M. (2004). Saving for Microenterprise in Individual Development Accounts: Lessons from the American Dream Demonstration. Research report. St. Louis: Center for Social Development, Washington University. Available here.

Ssewamala, F.M., & Sherraden, M. (2004). Integrating savings into microenterprise programs for the poor: Do institutions matter? (Working paper No. 04-05). St. Louis : Washington University, Center for Social Development. Available here.

Presentations
Ssewamala, F. M. Lessons from International Children and Youth Savings Policy and Programs: Canada, Latin America and Africa.  Paper presented at the 2009 National Conference on Children and Youth Savings organized and sponsored by CFED, New York, NY, June 14-17, 2009.

Ssewamala, F. M. Using Child Development Accounts to Divert Exploitive Child Labor Participation and Increase School Attendance in Developing Countries: A Case Study in Uganda. Paper presented at the Fourth IZA (Institute for the Study of Labor) World Bank Conference on Employment and Development, Bonn, Germany, May 4-5, 2009. (presented with Jamie Curley and Han Chang Keun)

Ssewamala, F. M. Developing and Evaluating Economic Development in Low-Income Communities: Integrating Savings into Care and Support of OVC in Uganda. Round Table Presentation at the Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR), New Orleans, LA, January 15-18, 2009.

Ssewamala, F. M. Collaborating with Faith-Based Institutions in Implementing Children Development Accounts for School-going Orphaned and Vulnerable Children: Lessons from SUUBI-Research Program in Rural Uganda. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR), New Orleans, LA, January 15-18, 2009 (presented with Leyla Ismayilova).

Ssewamala, F. M. Enhancing Self-esteem Among Orphaned and Vulnerable Young Adolescents Affected by AIDS in Rural Uganda: Do Assets Matter? Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR), New Orleans, LA, January 15-18, 2009 (presented with Chang-Keun Han).

Ssewamala, F. M. Faith-based Institutions as Project Implementers: An Innovative Economic Empowerment Intervention for Care and Support of AIDS-Orphaned and Vulnerable Children in Rural Uganda. Paper to be presented at the White House Faith-Based and Community Initiative's Innovations in Effective Compassion Conference, Washington, DC, June 26-27, 2008 (presented with Leyla Ismayilova).

Ssewamala, F. M. Exploring Mentorship as a Supplement Component to Interventions Targeting Orphans and Vulnerable Children. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR), Washington DC, January 17-20, 2008 (presented with Alicea, Stacey & Nabunya, Proscovia).

Ssewamala, F. M. Integrating Savings into Care and Support of Orphaned and Vulnerable Children in Uganda: Lessons from the SEED/SUUBI Research Program. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR), Washington DC, January 17-20, 2008 (presented with Ismayilova, Leyla and Alicea, Stacey).

Ssewamala, F. M. The role of Family Relations in Sexual Risk Taking among Orphaned and Vulnerable Adolescents in Rural Uganda. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR), Washington DC, January 17-20, 2008 (presented with Ismayilova, Leyla).

Last updated September 22, 2009.