This study measures the long-term impacts of a mobile phone-based distance learning intervention on mothers’ digital connectivity, agency, and empowerment in rural Bangladesh. Building on a randomized controlled trial of an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) program conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, we revisit participating households four years later to assess sustained outcomes and spillover effects. Results show that treated mothers experienced significant gains in digital connectivity (0.44 SD), digital literacy transfer (0.48 SD), agency (0.44 SD), economic empowerment (0.41 SD), and gender attitudes (0.65 SD). Educational spillovers were equally pronounced, with children in treated households scoring 0.53 SD higher on academic assessments and mothers reporting stronger aspirations for their children’s education. Mechanism analyses highlight digital literacy transfer as the central pathway, mediating substantial shares of empowerment, gender attitude change, mobile financial service use, and information access. Heterogeneous treatment effects reveal stronger impacts among less-educated and lower-income mothers, underscoring the importance of equitable access to technology. These findings demonstrate that low-tech, parent-led distance education programs can generate enduring maternal empowerment and educational benefits, positioning mothers as pivotal agents of digital inclusion and behavioral transformation.
Authors: Hassan, Hashibul; and Sulaiman, Munshi
Type: Working Paper
Publisher: BIGD
Year: 2026
