We’re thrilled to be a GiveWell recommended charity again this year. It’s the 6th year in a row that giving money directly to the poor has been rated one of the smartest bets in philanthropy. Direct giving joins a short list of other highly effective interventions atop the GiveWell list. To the other recommended charities, […]
Blog
Candid thoughts from staff, donors, and recipients on our work and the broader movement towards cash transfers.
Operations
Taking cash to new frontiers – What we learned (part 3/3)
In 2016-2017, we delivered cash transfers to one of the remotest and most operationally challenging locations we have ever worked in, reaching some of the poorest recipients we have ever met. In this series of posts, we look at why we did it, how we did it, and what we learned from the experience. At […]
Operations
Taking cash to new frontiers – How we reached remote recipients (part 2/3)
In 2016-2017, we delivered cash transfers to one of the remotest and most operationally challenging locations we have ever worked in, reaching some of the poorest recipients we have ever met. In this series of posts, we look at why we did it, how we did it, and what we learned from the experience. It’s […]
Operations
Taking cash to new frontiers – Why we worked in Uganda’s remote north (part 1/3)
In 2016-2017, we delivered cash transfers to one of the remotest and most operationally challenging locations we have ever worked in, reaching some of the poorest recipients we have ever met. In this series of posts, we look at why we did it, how we did it, and what we learned from the experience. In […]
Opinions, Uncategorized
Four questions to ask before you give
Giving effectively means asking tough questions. (We know; you all have been great about asking us some tough ones over the years.) With the holiday giving season coming up, here are the top four questions we ask before giving. Share this post and get some conversations going: Can I tell where my dollar (or pound, […]
Operations
Living with a basic income: aspirations (part 3/3)
Part 3 of a 3-part series on lessons we’ve drawn from observing the Universal Basic Income Pilot village over the past year. (Parts 1, 2) For an update on our UBI program please see our UBI study page. “Aspirations” are a hot topic among poverty researchers these days. Following suggestive evidence from studies like this […]
Operations
Living with a basic income: work (part 2/3)
Part 2 of a 3-part series on lessons we’ve drawn from observing the Universal Basic Income Pilot village over the past year. (Part 1) Perhaps the most controversial question about basic income is how it will affect the way people spend their time. Proponents think it will free them up to take more risk – […]
Operations
Living with a basic income: family relationships (part 1/3)
Part 1 of a 3-part series on lessons we’ve drawn from observing the Universal Basic Income Pilot village over the past year. Phoebe is one of the first 100 people in history to live in a community where everyone receives a guaranteed, long-term basic income. GiveDirectly’s basic income initiative launched in her village in October […]
Operations
We’re officially launching UBI
It has begun! As I write, field officers in Bomet County, Kenya are beginning to enroll the first (post-pilot) households into the largest basic income initiative in history.The past 19 months since we announced our plans to test UBI have been remarkable. The debate over basic income continues to rage, from skeptics who call it […]
Operations
An update on fraud management in Uganda
Recently, we finished investigating and resolving a meaningful case of staff fraud in Uganda, and are sharing the results and lessons publicly. As in previous cases, we want to set a norm that charities report this stuff. Fraud is a fact of life in any charitable work and needs to be discussed openly, not kept […]