Alleviating poverty in Ghana: The case of Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP)

Abstract

In 2008, the government of Ghana implemented Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty, a plan to empower the extremely poor financially, increase basic school enrollment among children of poor households, reduce the infant mortality rate, improve child nutrition, and grow local economies. However, after four years, only a minority had witnessed an improvement in their living conditions. The rural poor, particularly in the three northern regions, continue to suffer. A multidimensional approach, focusing on free health insurance, provision of primary and secondary education to teach productive skills, the pursuit of good governance to block the diversion of funds for social services, and prioritizing women and girls will roll poverty into oblivion.