Increasing the Development Impact of Migrant Remittances: A Field Experiment Among Kenyan Migrants in the USA. IGC Working Paper
Abstract
This project aims to study the possibility that giving migrants more control over how remittances are spent will increase their impact on development. The study focuses on Kenyan migrants in the Dallas- Fort Worth (DFW) metropolitan area which has one of the largest concentrations of Kenyan migrants in the USA. Asymmetric information problems and “self control” issues such as present bias on the part of the sender or receiver may lead to migrants sending fewer remittances. This suggests that policies that provide migrants with tools to help them overcome asymmetric information (or trust) issues and “selfcontrol” issues could boost the flow of remittances, especially those earmarked for investments such as education.
Citation
Mbiti, I.; Yang, D. Increasing the Development Impact of Migrant Remittances: A Field Experiment Among Kenyan Migrants in the USA. IGC Working Paper. International Growth Centre (IGC), London, UK (2009) 16 pp.
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