The Economics of Faith-Based Service Delivery ─ Education and Health in Sub-Saharan Africa

The Economics of Faith-Based Service Delivery provides the first ever comprehensive empirical assessment of the role that faith-inspired institutions (FIIs) play in the supply of health care and education services in sub-Saharan Africa. Wodon focuses on estimating the market share, reach to the poor, and cost for households relying on FIIs, as opposed to public and private secular providers of education and health care services. He also analyses the comparative performance of FIIs and the satisfaction among their users with the services received as well as why users rely on FIIs.

The Economics of Faith-Based Service Delivery is an innovate combination of nationally representative household surveys that have not been used for this purpose, qualitative fieldwork, and insights from the fields of religious studies and social economics.

Quentin Wodon is Adviser and Lead Economist in the Education Global Practice at the World Bank where he serves as cluster leader for equity, resilience, and early childhood development. He has also held roles at Procter & Gamble and the International Movement ATD Fourth World, and has taught at the University of Namur in Belgium and at American University and Georgetown University in the United States. He holds PhDs in Economics and in Theology and Religious Studies, and has produced more than 400 publications, mostly on poverty reduction, human development, and economic development.