GiveDirectly wants to help people move before climate disaster strikes

Many of the world's poorest places are getting even more difficult — and deadly —to live in as climate change fuels an upswing in natural disasters such as flooding and mudslides. Now the aid group GiveDirectly is testing a novel approach to helping people move out of harm's way before the disaster hits.

The group surveyed residents of a dangerous mountainside in Uganda to find out how much money they would need to relocate to a safer setup. The answer was about $1,800. GiveDirectly then gave the residents that amount in a lump sum with no strings attached.

NPR’s Nurith Aizenman reports.