Can cash handouts replace traditional aid? Kenya offers a glimpse

A one-time cash transfer of approximately $930 in Kilifi, Kenya, transformed Thomas Kazungu Karisa’s life. Once a struggling petrol station attendant, Karisa is now a thriving farmer with a flourishing okra farm, livestock, and a small equipment rental business—all thanks to a one-off donation from GiveDirectly, a New York-based NGO.

“My family often went to bed hungry, my children were sent home from school for unpaid fees, and I was buried in debt,” recalls Karisa, a father of five. The donation of 110,000 Kenyan shillings allowed him to lease farmland with neighbours, install an irrigation system, and start a new chapter rooted in self-reliance and stability.

GiveDirectly advocates for direct cash transfers over traditional aid such as food and supplies—a model that has reached nearly 1.5 million recipients across Africa. Backed by more than 25 impact studies, the approach proves practical and efficient, especially as donor nations reduce conventional aid budgets. In a time of shrinking global aid, this cash-first model is gaining traction as a faster, more innovative way to empower communities.