Wheels of Change: Transforming Girls' Lives with Bicycles

• 成果类型: Article; Early Access
• 署名作者: Fiala, Nathan; Garcia-Hernandez, Ana; Narula, Kritika; Prakash, Nishith
• 署名单位: University of Connecticut; Makerere University; Leibniz Association; RWI - Leibniz Institut fur Wirtschaftsforschung; Analysis Group Inc.; Northeastern University; Leibniz Association; Ifo Institut
• 刊物名称: ECONOMIC JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0013-0133
• DOI: 10.1093/ej/ueaf122
• 发表日期: 2026
• 关键词: randomized controlled-trial; improving education; field experiment; Cash transfer; IMPACT; FAMILY; empowerment; perceptions; incentives; attainment

摘要

Motivated by the persistent barriers to girls' education-such as long travel distances and safety concerns-we evaluate the impact of a bicycle-distribution program targeting school-going girls living more than 3 km from their schools in rural Zambia. In this randomised controlled trial, we compare outcomes for girls who received bicycles against a control group. One year after the intervention, we find a 34% reduction in commute time, a 66% improvement in punctuality and a 29% decrease in absenteeism. The program also significantly enhanced empowerment outcomes, including improvements in locus of control and educational aspirations. Moreover, 2 to 4 years after implementation, the intervention led to sustained gains in school attendance and retention. These findings highlight the potential of bicycles as a scalable and cost-effective solution for reducing educational barriers and promoting girls' empowerment in low-resource settings.