Impact Investing: Measuring Household Results in Rural West Africa

This research examines impact investing in rural West Africa, particularly Ghana, focusing on measuring household-level results. It proposes typologies (job creators, service providers, market makers) to efficiently assess and report social returns, highlighting how common metrics can undervalue social impact. The study emphasizes the significance of rural businesses in job creation and associated social benefits for communities, offering insights into using theories of change for evaluating social impact below the firm level, where evidence is often limited.