Kenya's Free Money Experiment

Published: May 4, 2023, 1:40 a.m.

Thousands of Kenyan villagers are being given free cash as part of a huge trial being run by an American non-profit, GiveDirectly.\nWhy? Some aid organisations believe that simply giving people money is one of the most effective ways to tackle extreme poverty and boost development. After all, they argue, local people themselves know best how to use the funds to improve their lives. But does it work? Is it really a long term solution? In 2018, the BBC visited a Kenyan village whose residents received money at the start of the trial. Five years on, the BBC\u2019s Mary Harper returns to see what\u2019s changed.

Photo: Woman frying fish in village in western Kenya (BBC)

Reporter: Mary Harper\nProducer: Alex Last\nStudio Manager: Graham Puddifoot\nSeries Editor: Penny Murphy\nProduction Coordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross\nWith special thanks to Fred Ooko