One of our recommended economic development charities, GiveDirectly, believes that giving cash to beneficiaries — no strings attached — empowers them to decide for themselves how best to use it.
There is strong evidence across many well-designed studies that direct cash transfers are efficacious.
Other organizations, including Village Enterprise, One Acre Fund, and Oxfam, also have rigorous evidence supporting their work to build multi-faceted programs that drive economic equality.
One thing all the best economic development charities have in common is the belief that empowering women is critical in lifting the most vulnerable communities out of poverty. Women need support to overcome discrimination, barriers to employment and savings, lack of access to supplies and training, and cultural assumptions that perpetuate inequality.
Empowering women is critical in lifting the most vulnerable communities out of poverty.
