Last month, I traveled to Kenya where I had the opportunity to speak with recipients who had received GiveDirectly cash transfers. After a long car ride from Kisumu to Siaya County, my colleague Cindy and I made it to the village where six randomly chosen GiveDirectly recipients lived. At the village center, Cindy, who speaks […]
Candid thoughts from staff, donors, and recipients on our work and the broader movement towards cash transfers.
Recipients
In their own words: Selestina, Maureen, and Beatrice
Following the delivery of their first lump-sum payment, our follow-up team spoke to Selestina, Maureen, and Beatrice about how they spent their transfers and about how their lives have changed after receiving them. Both Selestina and Beatrice speak about the work and worry required to maintain a house. Purchasing a metal roof, as they have […]
Opinions
Why I give directly: A strong guarantee
Avian Weber writes from Australia about the qualities he looks for in a successful non-profit organization in the latest post from our “why I give directly” blog series. Donating money and giving to the poor have always been close to my heart. After traveling through numerous developing countries, including India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam, […]
Recipients
In their own words: Francis, Margaret, and Charles
This week, Francis, Margaret, and Charles, each of them at various stages of receiving their three cash transfer payments, spoke to our team. They each described how they spent the transfers and how this impacted their lives. Two of three recipients spent some part of their transfer on improving their homes. For Margaret, home improvements […]
Recipients
In their own words: Benard, Peter, and Eunice
Benard, Peter, and Eunice spoke to our team this week about how they spent their initial transfers and about how their lives have changed after receiving these transfers. Benard had received his first of three lump-sum payments, while Peter and Eunice had received their second of three. All three recipients also shared their plans for […]
Recipients
In their own words: Grace, Bonphas, and Joyce
Grace, Bonphas, and Joyce spoke to our registration team this week, prior to receiving their cash transfers. All three talked to our team about: 1) how they would like to spend their transfer, 2) their happiest part of the day, 3) their proudest achievement, 4) their greatest hardship, and 5) their current goals. Grace […]
Opinions
Why I give directly: The evidence
In this week’s “why I give directly” blog series, Ian Turner talks about the values he looks for in a charity, and his reasons for choosing GiveDirectly in particular. I’ve been struggling with how to give effectively for a long time, but it wasn’t until 2014 that I came across a charity as committed to […]
Recipients
In their own words: Selina, Francis, and Alice
“How did you spend the transfer? How is your life different after receiving the transfer?” This week Selina, Francis, and Alice answered these questions from our follow-up teams. These recipients have already received their first lump-sum payment of 40,000 KES (about $375) and are scheduled to receive one more payment of the same amount. We […]
Operations
Timing the transfer
Mitch Riley, one of GiveDirectly’s field directors, explains the logic that goes into answering the question: “why do we use the transfer timing that we do?” The decision on how to break up the approximately $1000 payment per recipient is more complicated than it might seem. We have to take into account a range of […]
Recipients
In their own words: Macoleta, George, and Elizabeth
Individuals living in extreme poverty face a range of challenges, depending on their age, their family size, their occupation, and other circumstances. This week, Macoleta, George, and Elizabeth spoke to our team about their own personal hardships, and how they plan to spend their transfers. These stories offer a glimpse into the remarkably diverse lives […]