Giving Orphans Hope for a Future
Dr. Fred Ssewamala spent all of three days at his New York City home in the summer of 2010. The rest of the time he was in Africa, where he’s working on a project funded by the MasterCard Foundation to help young people in the developing world establish savings accounts.
An associate professor of social work and international affairs at the School of Social Work, Dr. Ssewamala has garnered global recognition for his work. Among the many awards he has won, the first may have been the most important. At age 17, Dr. Ssewemala received a Ugandan government scholarship based on his national exam scores, which allowed him to attend Makerere University. After graduating with honors, he went on to earn his MSW and PhD in social work from Washington University in St. Louis.
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Young children learning to read |
As fortunate as he was, Dr. Ssewamala saw that scholarships are few and far between in developing countries. He set about researching ways to provide brighter futures for youth. A significant number of children do not have the option of attending school because the opportunity-cost time spent helping their parents earn money is too high.
The main focus of his research is studying whether asset ownership, which enables children to save money for their future, can lead to positive social, economic, and educational outcomes in orphaned and vulnerable young people. “By providing children with a tool that teaches financial management and planning, they will have a more equitable chance at an improved and stable life,” Dr. Ssewamala says. “They will also better understand their selfworth and capabilities.”
“By providing children with a tool that teaches financial management and planning, we will help them have a more equitable chance at an improved and stable life.”