USAID started working with GiveDirectly in Nhamatanda after Cyclone Idai devastated Sofala Province in March 2019.  The District Commissioner of Nhamatanda said during that period of floods and animal attacks, extreme poverty forced many local residents into nomadic lifestyles.  The impact of poverty was severe, causing malnutrition, lack of education, early marriages, and limited health access.  Many people died during this period.  Welcomed by the local government, USAID’s cash payments have brought huge improvements. Families are now settled, girls attend school, youth have businesses, and farmers receive resilient agriculture training.

According to the Commissioner, GiveDirectly’s success lies in its innovative approach of combining direct financial aid with skills training. Visiting remote areas of the district, the Commissioner sees the program’s impact.  He says he no longer hears constant complaints of poor transport and distant clinics, rather people now have resources and can feed their families.

These are the first hand accounts of the difference USAID’s Cash Assistance has made in the lives of Mozambicans: 

Poverty cast a looming shadow over our lives, leaving us without blankets, decent clothing, and basic items like chairs and utensils. We would often go hungry.  Struggling to make ends meet, we sold our lifeline—corn—just to cover necessities, locking us in an endless cycle of not having enough. GiveDirectly and USAID changed everything, allowing me to start a fish-selling business, a whole new chapter for me. My husband bought the fish and I sold it.  We could buy school materials for the kids and a bicycle to ease the long trips to school.  I can't adequately express my thanks to GiveDirectly and USAID; their support gave us hope for a life that’s not overshadowed by poverty.

My family struggled for basic needs, often going hungry. USAID’s support enabled me to envision a life beyond poverty. Investing the money in a small shop marked the beginning of a complete change in our lives. With my wife's support, the business thrived, I learned to bake and sell homemade bread- which has given us stability. The income not only ensured us three meals a day but improved our health, clothing, and even enabled us to purchase a motorbike. GiveDirectly and USAID's impact extends beyond financial aid, sparking positive changes in the community, from home upgrades to solar panel installations. I hope to expand my shop and offer more products. We're not just surviving now—we're actually living.

 I was taken by force to fight in the civil war when I was only 19 years old.  After many years spent at war, I faced great challenges and did not know where to live. Unfortunately, the promises of a pension from the Government never happened. We went through many difficulties: we lacked food, clothing and even a blanket. I started working in people's fields and later got some land to farm. Then, cyclone Idai hit in 2019 and was followed by other cyclones in following years. I lost everything. For food, I collected bananas that had been blown down by the winds and got by on the support of neighbors. 

With the arrival of GiveDirectly here in the community, I felt hope again. Today, with the transfers, I can produce and buy food to feed the family. I bought a bicycle that now helps us to transport things and even people. I spent money on dishes, cups and chickens for breeding and eating. Today my family has a diverse diet, clothing, and I can support the children in school. I have started building a house and I will add blocks and plaster with cement so that it will resist rains and cyclones. By having this income that I can count on, I have a plan to invest more in my fields and also raise more animals. All these changes were possible thanks to the project. I would like to thank the American people for the work and financial help.

USAID and Give Directly fund the CASH project in Sofala province of Mozambique. Five thousand participating families receive unconditional cash transfers of $40 a month for 24 months and 2,400 families receive two timed infusions of $400 during the lean season of the agricultural cycle. These are a few stories of thousands that show how transformational direct cash assistance can be. Participating families also receive mobile phones, training on using mobile money accounts, and literacy support to ensure the cash and health messaging are received. To date, 7,400 Mozambican families have received this life-changing assistance.