This document provides an overview and status update of three linked qualitative research projects being conducted as part of the RECOUP Theme 1 on human and social outcomes. The projects are looking at disability, education and poverty (DEPP); youth, gender and citizenship (YGC); and health and fertility (H&F) in Pakistan, Kenya, India and Ghana. Several outputs from the projects so far include working papers, journal articles, and a policy brief. Plans going forward include further reports, publications, and presentations at the UKFIET 2009 conference. Lessons learned include the challenges of timelines, political conflicts, and research fatigue in communities.