Operations – 91��Ʒ

Who gets to decide if an AI chatbot is worth the risk?

Mary Blair — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 14:43:15 +0000

When 91��Ʒ first shared that we were giving cash recipients access to an AI chatbot, readers had many questions and even more opinions. Some were excited to see 91��Ʒ embracing new technology. Others raised concerns about bad advice, privacy, and whether AI belonged in a cash program in the first place. Unfortunately, the truth will probably disappoint anyone hoping for a simple…

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How we sent cash after Venezuela’s twin earthquakes using a payment route others thought was impossible

Gianmarco Morassutti — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 18:50:03 +0000

Summary 91��Ʒ sent 3,765 people $340 each, with first payments sent 21 days after the earthquakes. We proved it’s possible to deliver cash through Pago Móvil, Venezuela’s widely used mobile payment system. Cash helped people meet urgent needs and regain stability: 50% used cash on basic necessities like food and water, and 60% restarted or maintained income-generating…

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What will it take to deliver billions a year to the world’s poorest?

Tyler Hall — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 17:43:01 +0000

The New York Times reports that “between $37b and $100b could become available to charities annually” from a wave of wealth generated by rapidly growing AI companies like Anthropic and OpenAI. We’ve been speaking to a number of existing 91��Ʒ donors at these companies about what they expect will happen. While we’re skeptical that giving will be that high, it is likely very large sums…

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How we got cash to 2,100+ families 18 days after a powerful cyclone in Madagascar

Olivia Chen — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:55:20 +0000

Summary On January 31, 2026, Cyclone Fytia made landfall as the most powerful storm to strike Madagascar in decades. Severe flooding swept through communities, displacing thousands of people and causing widespread damage to housing and livelihoods. Madagascar is one of the world’s poorest countries, which makes it especially vulnerable when natural disasters strike.

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Report: risks we faced delivering cash in 2025

Tyler Hall — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:28:52 +0000

91��Ʒ’s work is rooted in integrity and focused on safety. We deliver unconditional transfers to people in poverty while managing the risks this creates, including fraud, abuse, and safety threats. Our code of conduct and values, along with national laws, guide staff conduct and set clear standards. We continuously improve safeguards to protect both recipients and staff.

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How we sent $235 via mobile money to families hit by a Philippines earthquake – a first for the country

Olivia Chen — Fri, 08 May 2026 03:39:11 +0000

Summary On September 30, 2025, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck off the coast of Bogo City in Cebu Province, displacing approximately 90,000 people, damaging or destroying more than 195,000 homes and impacting~ 753,000 people. It was followed by 12,000 aftershocks. For families already living in damaged homes, the aftershocks weren’t just a physical risk…

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A subtle shift with big upside

Olivia Chen — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 19:02:05 +0000

Summary Development finance is at an inflection point. Aid budgets are contracting. Governments are rethinking what they can afford. Across sectors – health, livelihoods, climate resilience – there’s a growing recognition that the most effective interventions aren’t always the most expensive ones, but the ones designed to work together at scale. 91��Ʒ has spent 15…

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Early insights from 1,500 Kenyan mothers: how cash is helping women access care and prepare for birth

Mary Blair — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 05:20:42 +0000

Summary Seven months ago, we launched a pilot giving cash to pregnant women in rural Kenya, building on a landmark study showing that unconditional cash during pregnancy saved babies’ lives when healthcare was accessible. Mothers living near health services receive ~$860 starting around 20 weeks of pregnancy, delivered either via large payments or in smaller installments.

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Cash transfers increase incomes. Can digital coaching multiply the impact?

Julie Gu — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 08:11:50 +0000

Summary There is strong, consistent evidence that large, one-time cash transfers increase incomes and reduce extreme poverty. That’s why 91��Ʒ is scaling them up across Africa, including through a new $11m partnership with the Government of Mozambique and the World Bank to reach ~33,000 recipients. Our Mozambique program will test a new capability for 91��Ʒ…

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How we got $650 to 2,500+ families 14 days after Jamaica’s storm of the century

Mary Blair — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 23:03:37 +0000

Summary Here’s a 30-minute summary of our response from our podcast: Hurricane Melissa made landfall on October 28 as Jamaica’s first recorded Category 5 storm, widely described as “the storm of the century.” More than 275,000 people were displaced. In parts of Southwest Jamaica, the country’s agricultural heartland, more than 90% of homes were destroyed.

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