The beauty (and frustration) of social entrepreneurship is discovering that what works in one part of the world just may not work in another part.  Therein lies the difficulty of establishing a cohesive strategy for tackling poverty globally: each situation is unique.

Cash Transfer Programs are an attempt at poverty reduction that have struck a powerful nerve on both sides of the debate.  Simply put, Cash Transfer Programs (CTPs) are the act of distributing cash to the poor; and at times, the payment is dependent upon a certain action by the poor.  Providing a family with additional income if their children attend school on a regular basis is an example of an action-dependent (or ‘restricted’) CTP.

There are many layers to the debate on whether or not CTPs are an effective method to improving the lives of those at the Bottom of the Pyramid.  I am not going to dive into whether or not the programs should be in existence; rather, I want to look at the difference between restricted and unrestricted CTPs. Read more »