GiveDirectly’s work is rooted in integrity and focused on safety.
We deliver unconditional transfers to people in poverty while managing the risks this creates, including fraud, abuse, and safety threats. Our code of ethics and values, along with national laws, guide staff conduct and set clear standards. We continuously improve safeguards to strengthen protection for both recipients and staff.
Which is why we’re sharing out our risk & ethics report summary for 2024
In 2024, we outlined our risk environment and protections. In this new blog, we share key incidents, lessons learned, and improvements made, reflective of our zero-tolerance for inaction and commitment to survivor-centered, transparent reporting.
It assesses our 2024 performance on safety, integrity, and risk management, covering all reported and investigated concerns from Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2024, including workplace harassment, sexual abuse, physical abuse, fraud, and safety risks.
Fraud and impersonation
For any large organization, some fraud is inevitable. We benchmark our loss rates against standards from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (5%) and the UK government (0.5–5%), aiming to stay far below both.
In 2024, we delivered $126M in transfers to over 200,000 recipients across 12 countries. Known fraud losses totaled just 0.19%, down from 0.31% the year prior.
That drop came after we expanded fraud safeguards across our programs, including:
- Preventing $800K from going to 3,288 imposters who weren’t eligible for our programs.
- Partnering with telecom companies to block unauthorized SIM card swaps, a known tactic used to steal recipients’ mobile money before it reaches them
- Building automation flags into our fraud detection systems, enabling faster response to new tactics
We also investigated 13 allegations of staff fraud, and substantiated one.
Scams outside our programs
A fast-growing challenge in 2024: scammers impersonating GiveDirectly.
These scammers often post fake sign-up links or send text messages claiming to offer cash, then steal from people who try to join. We saw over 400 such cases reported last year — largely in Kenya and Uganda — and expect this trend to grow with increased social media use and AI-generated content.
We’re responding by:
- Partnering with telcos to send bulk SMS alerts to vulnerable communities.
- Launching awareness campaigns online and via radio and local press.
- Educating enrolled communities on how to spot and report scams.
- Blocking 345 scam SIM cards used by fraudsters impersonating GiveDirectly online.
Safeguarding: preventing and responding to abuse
We have zero-tolerance for inaction in regards to the prevention, reporting or response to abuse. In 2024, we investigated every report linked to GiveDirectly, including one case dating back to 2022.
Of the eight most serious cases involving GiveDirectly staff:
- 5 were substantiated and resulted in disciplinary action or termination.
- 2 were unsubstantiated.
- 1 involved a conflict of interest, but not confirmed exploitation.
We take a survivor-centered approach to reporting abuse. While we share the number of such cases and disciplinary actions, we do not publish specific incident details — unlike our past reporting on financial fraud (e.g. here and here) — to protect the safety and dignity of those affected. This is how we balance transparency with our duty of care for survivors of abuse.
We also received many reports that weren’t directly tied to our programs, a sign that recipients view us as a trusted reporting channel in their communities. Feedback from enrolled recipients in Uganda, Rwanda, and Malawi found:
- 100% felt safe reporting issues to GiveDirectly again.
- 97% rated their experience as positive.
- 93% said their concern was handled confidentially.
Discussions regarding appropriate standards for safeguarding practices and data collection are ongoing (e.g. CHS Standard, and initiatives from Project Soteria and WHO). This means there are no universally agreed upon standards against which to compare our results; our aim here is to contribute to advancing those conversations.
Internal culture and ethics
Our commitment to safety starts with our people. In 2024:
- 98% of GiveDirectly 800+ staff members completed risk training with >85% average score/comprehension rates resulting in more teams taking ownership of risks in their areas.
- We investigated 18 reports of staff policy violations, ranging from bullying to fraud. Six were substantiated, with five leading to disciplinary action.
- At each level of the organization, we clarified expectations for how team members should manage risk in their day-to-day roles
We also filled key oversight roles including a new Director of Safeguarding, a VP of Risk & Compliance, and a dedicated Board Representative for Risk, who reviews reports monthly.
Safety in high-risk settings
GiveDirectly increasingly operates in fragile, crisis-affected regions. In 2024:
- We paused operations in parts of DRC and Mozambique due to conflict and misinformation.
- No staff were harmed, but many worked in settings where humanitarian workers were regularly targeted.
- We upgraded safety plans, mental health supports, and emergency communications across all countries.
In one case, a false rumor linked our cash transfers to political suppression, prompting evacuation of staff. We’re now investing in stronger community engagement and early warning systems to reduce these risks in future programs.
Where we need to do better in 2025
We also saw areas of concern in 2024:
- Too few incident reports in some remote programs, suggesting recipients lacked safe or accessible ways to report abuse.
- Imposter enrollments remain a challenge: people just outside program zones sometimes sign up, hoping for aid.
In 2025, we’ll pilot new ways to:
- Improve reporting access in fully remote programs.
- Calibrate our policies on “routine” imposters — many of whom are equally in need, but excluded by strict geographic boundaries.
We know this work is never finished. Every system we build to protect our recipients is tested daily by fraudsters, scammers, and the very real limitations of operating in fragile contexts.
But we’re proud of our team’s progress and grateful to the donors and partners who make this work possible.
This blog doesn’t capture every detail, nor would we expect most readers to need it. For those with a close interest in our operating model, please read our full internal risk and ethics report →