We recently dealt with our worst fraud case to date, with 2% of a round of transfers in Uganda diverted. This incident brought to light vulnerabilities which we have since addressed, and we don’t expect changes in performance going forward. We are making it a point to write openly about this case, however, because nonprofits […]
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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 […]
Operations
Fraud in D.R.C. – our apology and response
Update as of September 24, 2024: Update as of November 16, 2023: since the original post below, we’ve completed our investigation and are sharing these updates: Summary GiveDirectly has delivered cash transfers to some of the poorest households across sub-Saharan Africa for over a decade. Cash aid sent directly to recipients’ mobile money accounts is […]
Operations
$241,633 was lost to fraud this year — that’s about what we expect
So far in 2021, GiveDirectly has delivered $106.3M to 431K people in poverty across seven countries in Africa. We estimate 0.23% of those funds was lost to theft, bribes, and imposters. Every major nonprofit experiences losses from fraud, but few rigorously investigate and safeguard against it; fewer still openly report on it [1]. We believe […]
Operations
How GiveDirectly prevents, addresses, and reports risks
If you believe you’ve observed GiveDirectly staff, volunteers, vendors, contractors, or partners engaging in misconduct (including fraud, harassment, discrimination, or any other form of unethical behavior), please file a report to whistleblower@givedirectly.org or to our third-party whistleblowing portal here→ We’re improving how we report to you on risks Giving cash directly is a proven and dignified way to […]
Operations
Report: risks we faced delivering cash in 2024
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 […]
Operations
Tech improvements we made in 2023
We think of GiveDirectly as the pipes that deliver your money to people living in poverty. Sharing some updates (big & small) we made to those pipes this year: Improved payments Simplified operations Tightened fraud prevention Made donating easier Improved org-wide analytics General systems updates
Opinions
Reflecting on the Last Decade: 10 Things We Got Right & Wrong
These are 10 impactful things we’ve gotten right and wrong over the last decade. From these wins and misses, we’ve gleaned important learnings to help guide us in better serving recipients.
Operations
How facial identification technology could help our field ops
We’re not interested in tech for the sake of tech. So, there were plenty of skeptics on the team when the possibility of integrating facial identification into our operations came up. Good for iPhones? Yes. Necessary for enrolling recipients in our program? Not obvious. The jury is still out on whether we’ll pursue it at […]
Operations
How would you explain what a PIN is?
M-Pesa is famously ubiquitous in Kenya, with more than half the adult population using it or some other form of mobile money. M-Pesa agents, who take users’ deposits and provide cash-outs, operate in most towns and even small villages. The breadth of the network has certainly made our work delivering cash transfers, even in rural, […]