More Insights – Page 10

To live or not to leave: the tension between meeting basic needs and social distancing

Introduction For wealthy people from wealthy countries, it may not always be easy, though usually quite feasible to be socially distant: Just stay home as much as possible, maybe read…

Getting funding right in East Africa: top ten priorities for maximum impact

This is the first in a series of reflective thought pieces on our work in East Africa, especially as it relates to programming, partnerships and funding in the governance and…

Saving the children: how to create effective messaging to stop violence against children

In an experiment where people were asked to place numbers along a linear axis, many respondents placed a million, roughly halfway between a thousand and a billion (it really doesn’t go there).…

Give to Caesar: understanding taxpayer perceptions in Somaliland

As the saying goes — where there is a will, there is inheritance tax. Tax as the bane of existence has been a narrative that has been around since the…

The stories in our photos: using photography to better understand diversity at Busara

In an attempt to baffle his enemies, a hare was once told to have woven himself a coat that had two perfect halves, one dyed perfectly red and the other…

Link, learn, laugh: improving loan repayment rates using behavioral science

When you’re giving grants to support marginalized and discriminated groups across two continents, the fact that there are similarities and learnings that can be cross pollinated cannot be ignored. Voice,…

Who even needs a pound of flesh: improving loan repayment rates using behavioral science

“Why, I am sure, if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his flesh — what’s that good for?” -Salarino, a bystander in the play The antagonist in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice is…

Off The Record #15: Warning! Fake News!

In 2017 The Shed at Dulwich finally became the top rated restaurant in London on Tripadvisor. The thing is — The Shed did not exist. Journalist Oobah Butler had listed…

Decision lab 101: why and how to set up a decision lab

“Why do people choose the things they choose?” is a question faced by most professionals in today’s world. Whatever work you are doing, the end goal is up to a…

Giving aid in ways that empower: how narratives that convey dignity help achieve aid’s aspirations

Billions of dollars of international aid are given every year and anti-poverty programs are rapidly expanding in the context of COVID-19, with the most popular form of social assistance being…