Progresa

Student Gisella Kagy
Dates of Involvement 2007
Faculty Advisor Anne Dougherty

         Presently, developing countries are facing the monumental challenge of comprehensively combating poverty. In this project, Professor Barham and I will investigate the impact of Progresa, Mexico’s principle anti-poverty tool, on children’s health when taking into account health supply effects and demand effects created by the program. While research has been done to show Progresa has a significant positive impact upon participant’s health, the separation of health supply and demand effects has not been looked at.

         Progresa is a unique anti-poverty program that aims to end the intergenerational transmission of poverty by combining a traditional cash transfer program with requirements that participants invest in the human capital of their families. Our research utilizes the controlled random design of Progresa such that time series analysis and rigorous statistical analysis can be readily preformed.

About Gisella Kagy:

          Gisella Kagy is a senior majoring in Applied Mathematics with a minor in Economics. She is interested in the economics of inequality and discrimination and utilizing her mathematical skills to deepen her understanding of economics. Gisella is an active student participant across campus belonging to the Society of Women Engineers, the International and National Volunteer Service Training Community Leadership Program and many other societies. With her background in mathematics she plans on pursuing a graduate degree in economics.