About us
Support grounded in dignity.
A personal journey across sub-Saharan Africa became a commitment to helping families facing deep poverty.
Our beginning
From seeing the world to serving it
In 2021, as the world began emerging from the disruption of the pandemic, Harley Riar set out to experience places far beyond the comfortable California life in which she had grown up. She travelled through Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Malawi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Botswana to better understand the world and the realities of poverty.
Her journey included Turkana and Lamu in Kenya; the Busoga region, Apoka, and Kidepo Valley in Uganda; communities in Burundi, one of the world's lowest-income countries; and Ruarwe and Nkhata Bay in Malawi. She also travelled through parts of Congo and Botswana. Across those journeys, she encountered families living with profound economic hardship and limited access to essentials.
“I was able to offer assistance during my travels, but I understood that what I could give alone would never be enough. I wanted to build something that could continue after the journey ended.” — Harley Riar, Founder
Why Give-Directly exists
Give-Directly was created from that realization. Its purpose is to connect compassionate donors with carefully identified families and help them meet urgent needs such as food, clean water, safe shelter, education, and healthcare.
Every family has different priorities. Our approach is to listen first, protect people's dignity and privacy, verify needs carefully, and explain honestly how support is delivered and how funds are used.