Experiments in Poverty Alleviation

NPR reports how four graduate students of economics founded a charity that experiments with poverty alleviation, giving no-strings-attached cash. American charity GiveDirectly will give 40 villages in Kenya an extra $22 a month for 12 years, 80 villages $22 a month for 2 years, and 80 villages the upfront sum of the 2-year equivalent to compare with a 100 villages not receiving any cash. Data collected will be studied independently by prominent anti-poverty researchers to identify long-term effects. GiveDirectly wants to challenge traditional aid approaches to see how people use and invest a set, guaranteed income when not dictated by donors, governments, and organizations.