Of course it did. If you give poor people more money they will on balance have better lives. Left unaddressed are questions like: How does giving free money compare to spending the money on directed social programs? What is the optimal amount to give?

Also, am I reading this right? "Individuals who received the stipend reported increasing their monthly income by 36%, from $1,200 to $1,640, compared to the control group, whose income only rose 9%." They gave them $500 and their income went up $440. Is that before or after the $500?