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.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($492 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
With the help of the transfer, I was able to achieve so many things that I had not been able to achieve on my own and would not have achieved had I not received the transfer. First, I was able to build a poultry house, paid school fees for my daughter and even bought a dairy cow. Before building the poultry house, my chicken used to sleep in the kitchen. Due to this, I always felt uncomfortable to welcome anyone to my house especially in the evening. Also, the transfer came in handy in clearing my daughter's school fees thus giving us hope that she will graduate this year instead of next year as we had foreseen it. This is because I had lost all the hopes of paying her fee arrears on time and I had already spoken with her and prepared her mentally that she will not be taking her final examinations anytime soon.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly does well by uplifting the lives of the lowly people in the society through cash transfer 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 30000 to pay school fees for my daughter in the university. I settled on this so that she would be allowed to sit for her final examinations. I am now glad that she will be graduating this year. In addition to this, I purchased a heifer at KES 18000 as a way of investing this money. When it starts to reproduce, I will be using the income from the sell of milk to meet our basic needs. I used the remaining amount to buy three seats.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($494 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I received the transfers around six thirty in the morning while I woke up. I was very happy and withdrew the same day. The whole village was lit with an atmosphere gratitude because we had received such a lump sum before.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my life is purchase of a dairy cow which wouldn't be possible before. I am optimistic that with increased milk production I will be able to sustain my family better than before. I have also have stocked maize in bulk. This wouldn't be possible before because I couldn't afford and we used to live from hand to mouth. I am also very happy because I am decently dressed unlike before when I relied on a single clothing for occasions and had become like a uniform.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent three-quarter of my transfer on a dairy cow because I had only one dairy cow before. I also spent some on two 3-seater sofa sets because I had locally made arm chairs which would easily break. Some was also spent on a poultry house because we used to sleep together with chicken in my house and they were a nuisance. Part of the transfer was spent on latest clothing for special occasions because we used to put on second hand clothes.I also spent some on two maize sacks and payment of my daughter's fees who's studying on-line. The rest was spent on maize seeds because it's planting season.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money will mean so much to me. As a parent,my number one desire has always been to give my children the best education that I can. At the moment, I have a daughter who is in her 4th year of education at Kabarak University. Her studies has really drained our family financially. Because I am a widow, I have been catering for her financial needs single handedly. Every year I pay a total of 60000 shillings towards her school fees and for now I have not saved even a single cent to cater for her final year. The only thing I have left is to cross my fingers and hope that I will be successfully enrolled so that I actualize my dream of getting my last born daughter through her University education.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am always happy in the afternoon because it is time I take some rest. In the morning I engage myself in so many energy-draining activities such as fetching firewood and sometimes weeding on my farm. It is only in the afternoon that I get to have some rest.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Having to feed my family is the greatest hardship I have faced in my life. What is even aggravating this situation is the fact that I do it single-handedly because I am a widow. I depend on farming to get food to feed my family with. In our area, prolonged droughts have seen me get losses year in year out. I farm a 1-acre piece of land and believe it or not, every other harvesting season I always come out empty handed.
