All in together? How communities contribute to school meals programs

This blog explores how households in rural Mozambique decide whether to contribute money or volunteer time to support community school meals programs. Drawing on a field experiment with more than 1,200 households across 156 villages, the authors examined how people’s willingness to contribute changes in response to the actions of others, and what this reveals about cooperation in community-driven development. The findings challenge common assumptions from studies conducted in high-income settings. Many participants were actually less likely to contribute when others contributed more, a pattern rarely seen in prior research. Stronger social cohesion and trust within communities were linked to more cooperative behavior. The blog highlights the importance of understanding local social dynamics and investing in trust and community cohesion when designing programs that rely on voluntary contributions.