Uganda’s education sector does not lack data. The challenge is turning that data into better decisions and stronger education outcomes. At the 5th #EdLabUganda Retreat, IPA joined government, researchers, universities, and partners to strengthen evidence use across the sector.

Join us for the National Launch of the Philippines Socioeconomic Panel Survey (PSPS) Wave 1 Data on June 2, 2026 at the University of the Visayas, Iloilo City Campus. 📅 June 2, 2026 ⏰ 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (PHT) Learn more and register now: bit.ly/4ucJezG

We’ve spent decades building evidence on what works. And we have made real progress. But scaling what works has turned out to be a different challenge entirely. Because evidence doesn’t scale on its own. Embedding evidence into systems does.

Pakistan has the infrastructure for digital payments. Mobile wallets are widespread. So why is cash still king at the point of sale? New research has some answers in a new blog by Farah Said and IPA's @laurenperlik.bsky.social: bit.ly/4ueTQNQ #InstantPaymentSystems #DigitalFinance

How can we counter organized crime, combat drug trafficking & strengthen law enforcement and criminal justice systems? What does the evidence say, and what are we still missing? Find out in IPA's new Research & Learning Agenda for the Citizen Security Research Initiative: bit.ly/4bYshBb

Rwanda’s education system is evolving, and evidence is at the center of the next phase. At #StateOfEducation2026, discussions focused on learning outcomes, foundational skills, and how data can drive real policy change.

How do we make Digital Financial Services more affordable in Tanzania? IPA and the Bank of Tanzania partnered to understand DFS affordability drivers.

How are education policy decisions made inside government and where can locally grounded researchers shape them? Join our webinar on April 28th with Ministry of Education leaders from Ghana, Rwanda, and Kenya. Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM EAT or 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM GMT Register Now: bit.ly/4tOhNvn

Rwanda's Basic Education Board is building in-house capacity to manage workforce data for 100,000+ teachers through Python training, a support chatbot, and improved placement workflows. See what embedded technical assistance can look like in practice: poverty-action.org/embedded-evi...

Last month, IPA joined the Nigeria Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, including key development partners, at a national workshop in Abuja to co-create the framework for Nigeria’s One Humanitarian–One Poverty Response System.

A landmine does not know when a war is over. IPA and @j-pal.bsky.social Humanitarian Protection Initiative released new evidence changing how we think about emergency care in conflict zones. Read more: poverty-action.org/when-mine-ri...

Building stronger evidence systems in education. The Embedded Lab and Cote d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Education hosted a third Coffee Chat session focused on data management and analysis using Excel.

Renforcer les systèmes de production des données probantes dans le domaine de l'éducation.

Deadline approaching! IPA's Citizen Security Research Initiative is still accepting proposals for rigorous impact evaluations and related research on citizen security, organized crime, and justice. Proposals due April 15. More info here: poverty-action.org/csri-call-fo...

In our webinar with @hundredorg.bsky.social, we explored how mEducation is moving from pilot to policy—showing how evidence-based innovations can be scaled, sustained & embedded into public education systems.

Socio-emotional skills, such as initiative, aspirations, & resilience, can influence education pathways & economic opportunities. Today at #CIES2026, IPA will share insights from research across countries on how these skills can support economic empowerment & how they can be measured effectively.

Evidence of impact isn’t enough. Decision-makers also need evidence of cost. At #CIES2026, IPA is joining @Center for Effective Global Action and @Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab to host a workshop on Strategic Costing for Education Impact.

Reducing violence in schools requires better data and policies. At #CIES2026, IPA will share insights from its collaboration with Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports on how existing government monitoring systems could better track violence and inform prevention strategies.

Play can help children rebuild social connections, reduce stress, and regain a sense of agency, especially in conflict-affected settings.

Join IPA and JPAL’s Humanitarian Protection Initiative, supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), to learn more about emerging evidence & implementation challenges on reducing harm caused by landmines. 📅 April 1 🕥 10:30–11:30am EST Register here: bit.ly/4dqqTtx

How do promising ed-tech innovations move from startup to scale? At #CIES2026, IPA will share insights from supporting ed-tech providers across low- and middle-income countries through the Partnerships for Tech in Education (P4T-Ed) initiative.

Promising education pilots often struggle to reach sustainable scale through government systems. At #CIES2026, IPA will share lessons from the Scaling Ingredients Framework, a practical approach to designing interventions that can achieve lasting impact at scale.

Programs serving refugee families need monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems that produce actionable insights, not just data.

Programs that support both caregivers & children may unlock stronger development outcomes. At #CIES2026, IPA will share insights from research with BRAC on the Early Childhood and Graduation Project, exploring how household livelihood support may influence children’s early learning and development.

It’s not enough to just produce evidence, we also need to strengthen institutions to use it.

EdTech platforms have a unique advantage: automated data collection and real-time analytics. At #CIES2026, IPA will share lessons on building organizational capacity for A/B testing, enabling EdTech providers to generate causal evidence and improve programs rapidly.

Thank you to our monthly donors for backing the research, innovation, and evidence that fights poverty at its core. Each month, you show up, and because of that, so can we. Your impact is steady, strong, and deeply appreciated.

At #CSW70, IPA is moderating a side event on advancing women’s economic empowerment in fragile and crisis settings. When women gain access to livelihoods, assets, and decision-making power, recovery becomes more durable and inclusive.

Despite the benefits of #openfinance, adoption amongst Brazilian firms has been slow. A new study by IPA tested whether a low cost information intervention can increase uptake. Read more: bit.ly/4r5zxkh

Excited to launch the first Call for Proposals of IPA's Citizen Security Research Initiative! We support rigorous impact evaluations & related research on citizen security, organized crime, law enforcement & justice systems. Full proposals are due April 15. Learn more and apply: bit.ly/4cTA6Ki

Strong education systems run on strong data — and strong institutions. Through our Embedded Evidence & Learning Lab partnership with Rwanda’s National Examination and Schools Inspection Authority (NESA), IPA is strengthening how education data is analyzed and used.

Call for Applications are still open for Partnerships for Tech in Education (P4T-Ed) Round 4. Selected EdTechs receive hands-on advisory support on evidence, data systems, testing, and learning. Deadline: Friday, Feb 27 Apply: bit.ly/3LO4Kde

How do new, climate-friendly technologies spread within industries? With IPA, researchers Ritam Chaurey, Gaurav Nayyar, Siddharth Sharma, and Eric Verhoogen studied leather goods manufacturers in Bangladesh to understand how awareness, and proximity, shape adoption of energy-efficient servo motors.

Join us with HundrED to learn how mEducation is being institutionalized within the Department of Education Philippines.

You may be a good fit for P4T-Ed Round 4 if you’re an EdTech org that: • operates in low- and middle-income countries • has a clear pedagogical approach • wants to strengthen how evidence informs decisions • is refining or scaling a digital learning solution Apply by Feb 27: bit.ly/3LO4Kde

Holistic early childhood dev't starts with empowering families. IPA Uganda & partners are advancing Two-Generation models that strengthen caregiver–child wellbeing & building evidence through Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) for policy impact. More on IPA Uganda: poverty-action.org/uganda

Last month, IPA explored research collaboration & funding opportunities with university researchers from Ecuador, part of IPA’s Research Collaboration Initiative to strengthen regional research networks in Latin America. We shared findings on Venezuelan migrants’ livelihoods in Peru. bit.ly/4rmztwZ

How does caregiver mental health shape early childhood development? On Jan. 27, 9-10am EST, join us explore this critical question with research from China, Colombia & Ethiopia. Part of IPA's Thrive Through Play Community of Practice Register here: bit.ly/3NXdkXt

IPA’s latest survey reveals that digital financial services fraud costs Kenyans an estimated $280M each year—and that’s just one part of the consumer protection challenge. Our new report uncovers risks from transparency gaps to dispute resolution issues. Explore further: bit.ly/48H5JDh

Reminder: Join the Human Trafficking Research Initiative (HTRI) Wed, Jan 21 at 10:00 AM ET for a webinar sharing new insights from HTRI-funded research over the past 5 years. Register: poverty-action.zoom.us/webinar/regi... #HumanTraffickingResearch

Two years after our Global Refugee Forum pledge, IPA has supported 80+ studies advancing evidence on refugee economic inclusion and social protection. From Uganda to Jordan to Ethiopia, research is helping shape smarter displacement responses. Learn more: bit.ly/3YCNyKp

IPA and the U.S. Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons just released a new Evidence Brief from 5 years of research across 17 countries—highlighting promising interventions, key lessons, and evidence gaps. Read the full Evidence Brief here: bit.ly/48rUCPP

What’s the most scalable way to support teachers? New evidence from Ghana suggests training school leaders as in-school coaches—supported by simple edtech—can significantly improve teaching quality. Read more on early results from an A/B test with Inspiring Teachers: bit.ly/4qgPy6R

AI is reshaping how dev't data is collected & used. At the World Bank’s “Better Data for Better Jobs and Lives” conf. (Dec 8–9), IPA’s Steven Glazerman & Dr. Nouréini Sayouti will highlight how rigorous methods and responsible innovation can improve data for better decisions. More: bit.ly/4rseyta

Dec 9–10: IPA's Niall Keleher (nkeleher.com) joins @cgdev.org & The Agency Fund Working Group in London to set standards for evaluating AI tools in low- and middle-income countries + share IPA’s work building ethical, scalable data systems. IPA's Research & Data Science Hub: data.poverty-action.org

Many Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) systems focus on reporting instead of learning. But in today’s funding climate, learning-focused MEL is the smartest investment: it helps organizations adapt faster, avoid waste, and scale what works. Read more in our new blog. bit.ly/4osb86Z

Great to see IPA Founder Dean Karlan featured in @vox.com's Future Perfect 25. A powerful reminder that evidence, cost-effectiveness, and impact must stay at the center of development efforts. Read the full feature: www.vox.com/future-perfe...

Because of their moral authority and trusted voice in society, faith leaders are becoming champions for violence prevention. Becoming One, grounded in Biblical principles, is significantly reducing intimate partner violence in Uganda. Read more: ipa.shorthandstories.com/becoming-one/ #16Days

How can evidence strengthen digital public infrastructure? At the Global #DPISummit, IPA’s Hussam Razi shared insights on building implementer–researcher partnerships, measuring DPI’s real impact, and what we’re learning from instant payment systems. Read more: poverty-action.org/measuring-di...

On Nov 20, IPA Nigeria hosts a workshop on “Advancing Women’s Access to Credit and Capital,” bringing together policymakers, lenders, and women’s business networks to share evidence on what works globally and locally to close financial inclusion gaps. Learn more: poverty-action.org/ipa-hosts-wo...