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Description
My project explores how Ghana’s Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) cash transfer program influences maternal mental health. While LEAP is designed to reduce poverty, I sought to understand whether financial assistance also helps mothers manage stress, anxiety, and other emotional challenges during pregnancy and childbirth.
Maternal health outcomes in sub-Saharan Alkebulan remain deeply affected by financial barriers, limited healthcare access, and systemic inequalities. Although cash transfer programs like LEAP have been studied for their economic benefits, their impact on maternal mental health is less understood. By focusing on women’s lived experiences, my research aims to highlight how economic support intersects with psychological well-being.
This study was conducted in multiple regiona across Ghana, including Accra, Dododwa, and the Ga region of Ghana, through semi-structured interviews with 15 LEAP beneficiary mothers. Conversations focused on daily challenges, coping mechanisms, and the role of LEAP in reducing stress and anxiety. All interviews were transcribed and analyzed thematically to uncover patterns linking financial assistance with mental health outcomes.
I would like to sincerely thank Joseph Braimah, the Public Health Department at St. Lawrence University, and the Tanner Fellowship for sponsoring and guiding this research trip. Their mentorship and support made it possible for me to connect my academic interests in neuroscience and public health with real-world issues in Ghana.