GiveDirectly locates recipients in remote, rural areas and securely delivers life-changing amounts of cash directly into their cell phone accounts. Over 97% of our recipients report having received their funds without incident – a testament to the robustness of our systems. Evidence suggests that cash can improve the lives of young women; we are conducting […]
Candid thoughts from staff, donors, and recipients on our work and the broader movement towards cash transfers.
Opinions
Looking Beyond the Buzz
GiveDirectly has received some media attention lately. We’re thankful for it, as it allows us to share our work and ideas with more people who might want to help. NPR’s in-depth profile on our work in Kenya reached a broad audience and sparked further discussion in other outlets and the blogosphere. While it’s exciting to […]
Opinions
Corruption: The Elephant in the Room
In discussions of international development, corruption is often the elephant in the room. Funders don’t like to hear about it; nonprofits and governments don’t like to talk about it. During routine visits to recipients, our field team uses technology that automatically records a time and GPS marker for each piece of data they collect. But […]
Recipients
Metal Roofs – A Lesson from the True Poverty Experts
Along with Paul and Chris, I spent last week in Rarieda Province Kenya, where I received a lesson in development from the poor themselves. A typical thatched roof in Kenya (right) must be replaced 1–2 times per year, at a cost of $100–$150, and is often a habitat for insects. A GiveDirectly recipient’s home (left), […]
Research
The Other Blattman Study
I believe we should be putting more money and more power directly into the hands of the poor. When given the chance, they have a consistent track record, across dozens of rigorous studies, of using money sensibly to improve their own lives. This evidence base was already compelling – and then along came Chris Blattman. […]
Opinions
GiveWell’s First Full Update on GiveDirectly
Please visit the GiveWell website to read an in-depth report on GiveDirectly’s work in Kenya, our expansion into a second country, and our long-term outlook as we continue to scale up our cash transfer operations. The report covers our activities since November 2012, when GiveWell named GiveDirectly their #2 rated charity based on their criteria […]
Recipients
A Report from the Field: Following Up with Cash Transfer Recipients
This post comes from Piali Mukhopadhyay, our Chief Operating Officer. As of this spring, Piali and our field team in Kenya have overseen the transfer of over $1 million to more than 1,000 households in Western province. They have also laid the groundwork to transfer $675,000 to an additional 1,500 households over the coming months. […]
Opinions
Holiday media coverage
GiveDirectly in the news this holiday season: Dana Goldstein in the Atlantic: “So simple, it’s genius.” Dylan Matthews in the Washinton Post: “The idea, in a way, is so obvious it’s hard to believe people hadn’t tried to do it on this scale before: ending poverty by giving people money.” Chris Hayes on MSNBC: “A […]
Opinions
GiveWell: GiveDirectly “top-rated”
We are happy to share the news that GiveWell, a leading non-profit evaluation group, has updated its evaluations for 2012 and now names GiveDirectly one of three “top-rated” organizations. As you may know, GiveWell’s recommendations are extremely selective: their process includes field visits and comprehensive reviews of relevant research, and they ultimately recommend only 1% […]
Operations
Chris Hughes joins the board
We are thrilled to welcome Chris Hughes, co-founder of Facebook and editor-in-chief of The New Republic, to our board. Chris’s commitment to rigor and honesty in giving align him perfectly with our vision, and he brings a track record of leadership and innovation in both new and old media to our team. Chris has shared […]