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Origin Story: A Low-Cost Solution to a High-Need Problem
Origin Story: A Low-Cost Solution to a High-Need Problem
In 2016—when WhatsApp and WhatsApp “groups” were still genuinely new for many students in West Africa—I launched CABICH at the African School of Economics (ASE) to solve a simple problem: students had serious research and career questions, but limited access to external mentors beyond the standard faculty network. As my cohort began selecting Master’s thesis topics, I saw the value in expanding the advising ecosystem in an accessible, cost-effective, and scalable way.
What CABICH Was: Live Mentorship, Direct Access, Real Conversations
Because WhatsApp was one of the most affordable and widely available tools at the time, I created the first discussion groups. I organized live “one-on-one” chat sessions where ASE students could ask questions directly to invited guests on topics ranging from PhD preparation and publishing to research design and applied econometrics (e.g., PPML, causal inference workflows, and credibility checks).
The “Secret Sauce”: Documentation and Institutional Memory
The “Secret Sauce”: Documentation and Institutional Memory
A distinctive part of CABICH was documentation. Because of the time difference between Benin and the guests' countries (e.g., USA and UK), sessions usually start late in Benin time, like the chat with Professor Santos Silva Joao from the University of Surrey in the UK, who was then the Head of the School of Economics, which happened between 7 pm and 9 pm Benin time. After each session, I manually archived and formatted the entire discussion—often finishing very late at night (sometimes around 3 am)—because I wanted the insights to remain available for future students, not just those who attended live. This turned CABICH into more than an event series: it became a durable knowledge base that supported peer learning and mentorship over time. To see concrete examples and learn more, please visit the CABICH archives here: https://cabich.wordpress.com
Calibre of CABICH Distinguished Guests
The Career Building International Chats (CABICH) sessions were a mentorship initiative at the African School of Economics (ASE) in Benin. Between 2016 and 2017, the program invited scholars and practitioners from renowned universities and research institutions to join live WhatsApp discussions with ASE students. These guests offered advice on topics ranging from graduate‑school applications and research design to publishing and econometrics. The calibre of the invited experts illustrates the program’s ability to attract world‑class talent and speaks to its enduring impact.
During the sessions, CABICH also attempted to host Esther Duflo, co-founder of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) at MIT and a 2019 Nobel laureate. Her assistant, Heather McCurdy, replied that Duflo’s autumn 2017 calendar was too full for her to participate and that they might reconsider in the spring, underscoring the seriousness of the invitation.
Distinguished guests and their current roles (2026)
The table below summarizes the guests who joined CABICH in 2016–2017 and provides their updated positions as of January 2026. It demonstrates that most guests hold influential roles at prominent universities, think tanks, or companies, highlighting the high level of expertise available to ASE students.
Analysis and significance
Analysis and significance
CABICH’s guest list demonstrates that the program connected ASE students with leaders in development economics, econometrics, and political science. Many guests hold tenured or tenure‑track positions at major universities, including Arizona State University, Washington University in St Louis, UC Davis, Vanderbilt, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Surrey. Others work in industry or policy, like Tite Yokossi at QuantCo. Several guests are recognized fellows of major societies (e.g., the Econometric Society) and maintain research affiliations with top think tanks, including Brookings and NBER.
CABICH’s guest list demonstrates that the program connected ASE students with leaders in development economics, econometrics, and political science. Many guests hold tenured or tenure‑track positions at major universities, including Arizona State University, Washington University in St Louis, UC Davis, Vanderbilt, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Surrey. Others work in industry or policy, like Tite Yokossi at QuantCo. Several guests are recognized fellows of major societies (e.g., the Econometric Society) and maintain research affiliations with top think tanks, including Brookings and NBER.
The fact that Esther Duflo, a co‑founder of J‑PAL and later Nobel laureate, was invited (although she declined due to scheduling conflicts) underscores CABICH’s ambition to bring globally renowned scholars to students in West Africa. According to her assistant, Heather McCurdy, Duflo’s autumn 2017 calendar was too full to participate, but they might reconsider in a future semester.
The fact that Esther Duflo, a co‑founder of J‑PAL and later Nobel laureate, was invited (although she declined due to scheduling conflicts) underscores CABICH’s ambition to bring globally renowned scholars to students in West Africa. According to her assistant, Heather McCurdy, Duflo’s autumn 2017 calendar was too full to participate, but they might reconsider in a future semester.
Together, these details show that CABICH exposed ASE students to world‑class experts whose careers continue to thrive. Highlighting the guests’ current positions on the CABICH webpage will emphasize the program’s high calibre and its role in inspiring future researchers.
Together, these details show that CABICH exposed ASE students to world‑class experts whose careers continue to thrive. Highlighting the guests’ current positions on the CABICH webpage will emphasize the program’s high calibre and its role in inspiring future researchers.
Enduring Impact: From Student Groups to Official ASE Communities
Enduring Impact: From Student Groups to Official ASE Communities
Over time, the WhatsApp groups I initiated evolved and became today’s official ASE WhatsApp networks, including ASE Academic Forum (282 members as of today), ASE Forum Jobs (306 members as of today), and ASE Alumni Network (129 members as of today). For me, that evolution is the clearest proof of impact: CABICH helped build scalable academic infrastructure—by students, for students.
Why This Still Matters (and Matters Even More Today)
Why This Still Matters (and Matters Even More Today)
What has surprised me most is how timeless the CABICH conversations are. Through later teaching and mentoring, including undergraduates at UW–Madison (via World Hunger and Malnutrition TA-ing), PhD students at Oregon State University (via Advanced Microeconomic Theory teaching), and master’s students at African School of Economics (via Econometrics teaching), I realized that students today ask many of the exact same questions discussed in CABICH in 2016–2017. That continuity makes the initiative even more relevant now than ever: students still need practical guidance on research careers, graduate school, publishing, replication, and connecting rigorous methods to real problems.
The urgency of CABICH has also been reinforced by later conversations with classmates who actively participated in those early discussions and who subsequently pursued PhDs at universities around the world, including Princeton University, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, the University of Ottawa (Canada), the University of Western Ontario (Canada), the University of Notre Dame (USA), Pennsylvania State University, New York University, and many others across North America and beyond. Many have since taken on roles as Assistant Professors (e.g., at New York University, Dartmouth College, and San Juan College) and senior positions at institutions such as the IMF, the World Bank Group, EGAP, Capital One, and Charles River Associates.
To be clear, CABICH does not claim credit for these achievements. These outcomes reflect the participants’ dedication and sustained effort, along with the excellent training and mentorship they received from the institutions they graduated from, including the African School of Economics (ASE), as well as their subsequent PhD programs and professional environments. Individual outcomes vary, and CABICH is best understood as a peer-learning community rather than a program that guarantees or “produces” specific career results.
Looking Ahead: CABICH 2.0—Engagement, Partnerships, and Field Immersion
Looking Ahead: CABICH 2.0—Engagement, Partnerships, and Field Immersion
I plan in a near future to revive and expand CABICH as a bridge between students around the World, especially connecting students in the United States to African institutions (e.g., academic institutions, Polcicy-making institutions, NGOs, government agencies), combining (1) Virtual mentorship and guest-led discussions, and (2) Partnership-based opportunities for contextual learning, including potential field travel and immersion, so students can engage directly with the realities that shape development outcomes. The goal is to help students develop rigorous, grounded, and contextually informed research and policy ideas—while strengthening collaboration across academic communities.
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgments
CABICH was a community effort. I am deeply grateful to the entire ASE community and to everyone who contributed to making the initiative work. A special thank you to Sol Eskenazi, a Princeton University Fellow in Africa, whose support was instrumental in issuing the earliest invitations and building momentum, and to every student and guest who gave their time, energy, and ideas to build something lasting.
CABICH was a community effort. I am deeply grateful to the entire ASE community and to everyone who contributed to making the initiative work. A special thank you to Sol Eskenazi, a Princeton University Fellow in Africa, whose support was instrumental in issuing the earliest invitations and building momentum, and to every student and guest who gave their time, energy, and ideas to build something lasting.
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