We check in with people at each stage of the cash transfer process to see how things are going. Take a look at some of their stories as they appear here in real-time.
Learn more about how recipients opt in to share their stories.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($468 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Being a business-oriented person, my goal is to stock a shop that I recently built with my second transfer. I am working towards saving for the stock.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, Givedirectly made everyone in my village acquire what they had always wished to but due to financial constraints, we could not afford it. In addition, all the processes were adhered to as we had been informed by the officers. I do not see what Givedirectly didn't do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon receiving the second transfer, I prioritized working on my existing posho mill business. With Kshs.16,000 I bought materials i.e ballast, cement to plaster the floor of the posho mill. Am happy that the dust has reduced and is looking neat. With the remaining amount, I used to build an extension of a kiosk just next to the posho mill where I will it will serve as a general shop for consumer goods hence adding an extra income.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($499 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
Receiving the transfer was the best moment ever since I was enrolled with GiveDirectly. I had been living with great expectations as we were promised and have also seen the great work in other villages. It was early in the morning when I received a message confirming the receipt of the transfer. With my wife by my side, we had to first confirm the account balance s we celebrated the great news. Withdrawing it had to happen the same day as we already have the plans to improve the existing businesses and start a new one with the remaining amount.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the improved business I had and the value addition after introducing other smaller businesses that are currently running alongside. I am grateful that I will soon be able to earn a better income from the businesses that will in turn cushion other bills I had been struggling with.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After the construction and installation of a maize miller that I had been running over the past year, I had been working hard to furnish the interior part as the floors needed to be kept clean. When I received the first transfer, I had only left the floors that were still dusty and could always lead to a great wastage in case of maize spillage. I managed to obtain some bags of cement that I used in the completion of the floor at KES 21000. This business had been useful to me as it has served all my household needs and also paid part of the school fees for my children. With the current maize demand in the area, I saw it good to start a maize selling business in the same room where customers either buy maize or the already packed maize flour. I decided to obtain 5 sacks for the start which was KES14000. I also saw it good to construct an extension that I will later stock with retail goods as my wife needed such a business to be running alongside as an additional source of income. The construction cost has so far been KES 11500 after obtaining 14 iron sheets and paying KES 8000 for the labor force involved. I am grateful for the great support from GiveDirectly as the progress has been amazing.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
We are engaging in the business of tailoring, dealing mostly school in uniforms. There is a high demand for the commodity especially during opening of schools. Furthermore there are few people around here who are doing this business. It has really assisted our family to pay school fees. As such our plans is to expand the business ,we had had the challenge of inadequate capital and receiving this money could not have come at a better time since we will expand and realize more returns. We are planning to inject USD 500 to the business ,the rest of the money will go towards cementing the floor of our business premise.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening when Iam with my family. By that time I will have relaxed and not preoccupied with other things of the day .
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The big problem we have faced is food insecurity. Since the maize lethal necrosis disease affected our crops we have not been able to harvest enough maize for our subsistence. We have been buying maize since then to meet our demands for the household.
