Help lift an entire village in Kenya out of extreme poverty
Created by
Lenny’s Newsletter
Join us in sending life-changing cash to every family in a Kenyan village.
Our donations will be delivered via digital transfer to all 157 families in a rural village in Baringo, one of the poorest regions in Kenya.
Giving cash empowers residents like Grace to choose how to improve their own lives – instead of GiveDirectly (or us) guessing what people want or need.
With this money, I plan to build a larger house with three rooms, one for myself, one for my sibling and child, and a living room. I am confident that this will make a difference in my life.” — Grace
Your money goes a long way for this community.
Families will receive ~$850 each to spend and invest on what they need most, including:
- 🥘 Food, as residents have been facing food shortages after crops stopped growing due to climate shocks
- 🚰 Water access, as people typically can’t afford to install a water pump in their home
- 💊 Medical care, as the area is mosquito-heavy and residents can’t afford anti-malarials
Here’s what Grace’s home looks like today. With just ~$350, she can build a new and larger home for her family.
To us, $850 buys a new laptop or a month of rent — at most. For these families, it means a whole new life, empowering them to feed themselves, start businesses, go back to school, and more.
| Cost (USD) | What a family might choose to buy |
| $9/each | 🛖 Iron sheets for a permanent roof |
| $23 | 📚 One trimester of primary school fees |
| $25 | ❤️🩹 Hospital visit |
| $45 | ☀️ A solar panel |
| $45 | 🐐 A goat |
| $350-400 | 🛖 House reconstruction |
| $300-600 | 🌱 A small plot of land for a home or farm |
Research shows that cash can transform lives – and entire communities.
500+ rigorous academic studies show just how effective cash can be across diverse outcomes like:
- 📈 Boosting local economies by 2.5X for every cash transfer
- 👶 Reducing mortality rates for mothers and babies by 46-70%
- 🍛 Improving families’ food security and nutrition (even more than a nutrition program)
- ⏰ Creating lasting financial gains, even 12 years later
Cash gives people the dignity and flexibility to meet their own needs to create the outcomes they want – from installing water pumps, to sending children to school, to purchasing their first mattress, and so much more.
Frequently asked questions
How does the match work?
All donations through this page will be matched (1:1, or 2X) until 11:59PM ET on Dec. 3rd, or until $500,000 in match funds is used. This is a “true match”, so if we don’t reach our $500,000 goal, the leftover match funds will expire.
Due to processing times, we’re unable to match donations made via ACH, check, wire, DAF, stocks, crypto, or our international partners.
If you’re interested in making a match pledge for future campaigns like this or would like to request we run a match campaign in your country, reach out to us at [email protected].
What if we raise more or less than the fundraising goal?
Any excess funds will help us deliver cash to more people in Kenya, with the goal of funding all 157 families in the village with ~$148,000 total. GiveDirectly will allocate internal funds to make up the gap between our fundraising and the total needed to ensure every family receives funds. No matter what, your donations will end up in the hands of families in extreme poverty.
How much money will each family receive?
Every eligible household in the village will receive ~$850 in Kenyan shillings, sent directly to their mobile phone accounts. Read more about the enrollment and payment process here.
What if I’d like to make a major gift or help fund more villages?
We’d love to hear from you! Reach out to us at [email protected].
Can I make a recurring donation?
Please do! Recurring donations make our fundraising more consistent, which makes planning and operations more efficient. If you donate with a recurring donation today, only the first payment will be matched.
What is GiveDirectly?
We’re a non-profit that lets donors send money directly to the world’s poorest, no strings attached. In the last decade, we’ve delivered your donations to 1.6 million people across 15 countries.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes, donations are tax-deductible in the United States. We accept all major credit and debit cards, PayPal, checks, wires, stocks, cryptocurrencies, and more.
If you’re giving outside the U.S., you can still give to this campaign but your gift may not be tax-deductible. You can donate via our international partners to claim tax benefits, but due to partner processing delays those donations may not come in before the campaign ends.
Reach out to us at [email protected] with any questions or for more information on ways to give.