Saudi Gazette report JAKARTA – It is a network of affiliated professors around the world. It's mission: poverty-reduction. It's tools: rigorous research and the use of Randomized Control Trials (RCTs) to test the effectiveness of anti-poverty programs. The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), the global research center, on Tuesday added yet another mission to its network by expanding its poverty-reduction program to Southeast Asia. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono delivered the keynote address at the launch, which was attended by over 300 international and local researchers, government officials and agencies concerned. MIT alumnus Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel, J-PAL's driving force who endowed its activities, has always been interested in philanthropic work. He has been described by many of his friends as a noble person. Somebody once remarked about him: “He will give the shirt off his back to someone in need.” “We are excited to expand our partnerships with policy-makers in Southeast Asia to learn which development programs are truly effective and use these findings to improve how we fight poverty in the region,” said J-PAL Director Abhijit V. Banerjee, who serves with President Yudhoyono on the United Nations Secretary-General's High-Level Panel of eminent persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The Southeast Asia J-pal is J-PAL's fifth regional workplace, joining J-PAL's at top universities in Chile, France, India, and South Africa. J-PAL Southeast Asia is based at the Institute of Economic and Social Research (LPEM-FEUI) within the Universitas Indonesia's Faculty of Economics. Prof. Muhammad Anis, Rector of the Universitas Indonesia, said, “We are honored that J-PAL SEA is opening at LPEM-FEUI. I believe that the collaboration between J-PAL and LPEM-FEUI will enhance both research and action to combat poverty, especially in Indonesia. “The University of Indonesia strives to be one of the leading research universities, and one of the most outstanding academic institutions, in the world. Our partnership with J-PAL is in line with our vision to be a world-class research university.” J-PAL's network of over 80 affiliated professors has produced over 350 randomized evaluations in 52 countries, and more than 63 million people have been reached by policies found to be effective by J-PAL studies. Established in 2003 and headquartered at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), J-PAL is known for pioneering the use of Randomized Control Trials (RCTs) to test the effectiveness of anti-poverty programs. Since 2007, J-PAL has partnered with the Government of Indonesia and local researchers to evaluate the effectiveness of and test innovative poverty reduction programs in Indonesia. These evaluations have helped the Government of Indonesia to ensure that its education, health, and other social protection programs benefit the people most in need across the country. Australia, through AusAID, has provided $5.6 million over four years to J-PAL for establishment of the Southeast Asia workplace, which will support researchers to generate more evidence on a broader range of anti-poverty programs. J-PAL Southeast Asia will also build the capacity of local researchers and policymakers to evaluate the effectiveness their efforts to combat poverty.
