This
paper studies the effects of orphanhood on health and education outcomes
of children in Tanzania. Using an original dataset on members of the extended
family networks of orphaned children, I assess by how much the effects
of orphanhood are reduced due to a systematic placement of the orphans
within the family network. I find that orphanhood has significant negative
impacts on female orphans` welfare in terms of health and education, not
however for male orphans. I then provide evidence that the selection of
caretakers reduces the negative impact of orphanhood on years of education
by one year relative to caretaking by the average family within the family
network.
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