No Strings Attached with GiveDirectly

Two years into Rx Kids, this episode looks at what changes when families get cash before a child is born and through the first year of life.Host Tyler Hall speaks with Dr. Mona Hanna, pediatrician and founder of Rx Kids, and Emma Kelsey, Program Director leading delivery for Rx Kids at GiveDirectly. They explain how the program works, why it starts in pregnancy, and what early results show: nearly all eligible families enroll, prenatal care increases, and rates of prematurity, low birth weight, and NICU stays decline.They also discuss how families use the money and what this model could mean for other communities.Learn more at www.rxkids.org

GiveDirectly CEO Nick Allardice and VP of Product Sarah Moran reflect on what it means to lead through a period of major disruption, from steep USAID cuts to rising global need. They share how GiveDirectly is evolving its cash transfer programs—investing in efficiency, technology, and rapid emergency response—while expanding work in areas like maternal health. The conversation also looks inward, exploring how the organization is navigating growth while staying true to the principles that define its work.To learn more about some of the 2025 highlights they shared, check out GiveDirectly’s 2025 Impact report at GiveDirectly.org/2025report.

In August, The New York Times ran the headline: A New Way to Reduce Child Deaths: Cash. The story covered new research from a large randomized study of GiveDirectly’s cash transfer program in Kenya, finding that giving money to families, no strings attached, led to a 48% drop in child deaths.In this episode of No Strings Attached, host Tyler G. Hall speaks with Caitlin Tulloch (Head of Research) and Caroline Teti (Head of Human-Centered Design) about how those findings are reshaping our approach to maternal and infant health.They unpack what the study found and how we’re applying it to our new pilot for pregnant women in Kenya. They also address questions we’ve heard from supporters, like whether giving moms money could unintentionally encourage pregnancy, how the program stacks up on cost-effectiveness, and whether it still aligns with GiveDirectly’s model of unconditional support.Learn more at givedirectly.org/mortality2025

Oxford Professor Dr. Dennis Egger presents economic "slack" as the reason that a large influx of cash in a rural Kenyan economy didn't cause inflation. The idea is that before cash arrived, many businesses were operating at only about 60% of their potential output (e.g., a grain miller who only runs his machine half the day because he has few customers). When cash led to more customers, they could easily grow by staying open longer, hiring staff, and making better use of their existing resources, instead of raising prices.Read more on our blog at givedirectly.org/multiplierThis was originally recorded September 24, 2025 as part of internal brown bag with GiveDirectly staff.