After the first $20 was disbursed. Our staff contacted the recipient and asked her a series of questions about her mental well-being and her perception of joy. What we understood about the impact of receiving funds for her was that this outing made the recipient feel heard and seen within her community/village. She was able to use these funds to travel into the heart of the village and interact with local villagers and friendly acquaintances. Just from this small act of giving, her joy increased, and her mindset shifted from feeling isolated to feeling secure, knowing she is not alone and that she is not isolated in her home by herself for most of the day. As our population ages, we must give deep thought to the importance of community engagement as a means of improving health. Similar to why we would eat fruits and vegetables and avoid drinking soda or eating large amounts of sugary sweets. Our aging community must treat community engagement the same way! Similar to the concept of attending powwows in Native American culture. I Am Humans will continue to monitor the progress we receive each moment a disbursal is given.
