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.
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($492 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
check
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is different than how it would have been had I not received the transfer because I now have a dairy cow. Due to this, I no longer buy milk daily instead I sell to my neighbors and earn some income. With this money, I am able to meet our daily basic needs on time. Also, the transfers enabled me to acquire a dairy cow and from the sale of surplus, I am able to meet our daily needs on time unlike before.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly does well by educating people on their programs and honoring their promise without any discrimination and I do not see anything that they do not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received my transfer, I spent KES 40,000 to buy a piece of land. We decided on this since we had plans of purchasing a piece it but had not been able to due to insufficient funds. I am now glad that my farm under agriculture has increased hence I am optimistic of higher returns. Using the remaining amount, I bought three goats for rearing. Keeping goats are advantagious since they increase in number quickly and one can also easily convert it into cash.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($493 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was 7am when I was preparing breakfast when a neighbour of mine asked me if I had received a message from GiveDirectly and I told them that I had not. I did not receive a message at all and I was worried that I had been left out and later on checked my account balance. I saw that the money was in my account and I was happy beyond words.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I did not imagine owning a cow soon, leave alone in 2020 in the middle of a pandemic. Right now I am milking my own cow and selling the surplus milk to my neighbours and the cash is directed to other basic needs like sugar, soap and other basic necessities. This way, we have not lacked, thanks to GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I bought a good cow which I am milking right now and 2 bags of maize to use as food in my family. My children also got to add a pair or two of clothes on their wardrobe.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
For the past one and a half years now, I have been having the idea of venturing into poultry keeping in mind. I feel it is the best thing for me to do because it does not require much space and at the same time less risky. This project cannot be affected by weather conditions unlike other agricultural investments like growing crops. It also takes a shorter time to start earning profits. I have plans to buy 30 chicken each costing 300 shillings. Putting up a rearing structure will cost 12000 shillings. From this project, I am sure I will collect not less than 25 eggs per day. I will sell the same at 15 shillings each at our local market. Receiving this transfer will mean a lot to me because it will enable me to make savings which will boost my family's financial independence.
What is the happiest part of your day?
What can be so fascinating than spending quality time with your loved ones? I am ever happy in the evening because I am always home with my family. This is a wonderful feeling that I never take for granted
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Getting access to water for domestic use is quite a challenge in this region. Being an area that is prone to persistent droughts, we are forced to walk for 3 kilometers to access this precious commodity. What makes the situation dire is the fact that I carry it on my back and I have to make 5-6 trips a day. This leaves me with a lot of backaches at the end of the day. I have to do this single-handedly because culture does not allow our husbands to assist us in doing such kind of work. I spend more than half of my day doing this. I feel that this is so much time going to waste because there other pressing matters to be attended to that can give my family a positive impact economically.
