This holiday season we pulled together some of the top reasons people GiveDirectly. Let us know if you have others and we hope you’ll share these with your friends and family. GiveDirectly was just named one of the four most effective charities to give to for the 4th year running by the charity evaluator GiveWell, […]
Candid thoughts from staff, donors, and recipients on our work and the broader movement towards cash transfers.
Opinions
A great time to join
GiveDirectly’s new domestic Chief Operating Officer, Ian Bassin, writes to introduce himself and why he joined: Last week, I joined GiveDirectly as our domestic COO – gratefully at a moment with tremendous potential for the work we can do together. I joined because, at root, I know that my winning a birth lottery is all […]
Opinions
Why I give directly: Service at the local level
Stewart Bainum Jr. is the Chairman of the Board for Choice Hotels International. He was the CEO of Manor Care, Inc. from 1987 to 1998 and has served on various boards including the UCLA Anderson Board of Visitors and the Board of Trustees of Johns Hopkins University. Last month Stewart visited GiveDirectly’s operations in Western […]
Opinions
GiveWell recommends GiveDirectly (again), and benchmarks others against cash
For the fourth consecutive year GiveWell has named us one of their top-rated charities of 2015. GiveWell also rated GiveDirectly strongest on all aspects of organizational performance, including on “transparency and communication,” “robustness of the case for impact,” and “room for more funding.” Perhaps most significantly, Givewell has adopted cash transfers as a benchmark (or […]
Recipients
In their own words: “What have you always wanted, just name it right now!”
The second family I visited on my trip to Kenya last month, after speaking with Jane and James, was Janet, Dennis, and their two children. Cindy, my GiveDirectly colleague, and I met Janet at the door of her boarding house. With Cindy translating, we sat in the living room and spoke with Janet, while the […]
Recipients
In their own words: Lifted up from the grassroots
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 […]
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 […]