In this dissertation I examine topics in development economics. The first two chapters
relate to Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in the Western Province of Kenya, and the final
chapter focuses on network-based hiring in sub-Saharan Africa. My first chapter studies the use
of intermediaries in a maternal health program. The program provided payments for TBAs in
treatment villages to encourage pregnant women to attend antenatal care (ANC) visits at a local
health facility. In this way, TBAs serve as intermediaries to link pregnant women with health
facilities, the TBAs’ competition. I use a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the
efficacy of these financial incentives. My findings suggest that living in a TBA treatment village
increases the likelihood of a woman attending at least the recommended number of ANC visits
by 21%