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 ($516 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Buying the two female cows was such a huge project for me because I know that they will provide milk that will be enough for family use going into the future. I also spared a significant amount which I used to offset the school fees arrears for the kids.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
The organization came up with a good project which I can say has so far played a significant role in changing peoples lives. Various categories of people used the money in different ways to change their lives. There are those like myself who bought livestock and paid school fees for the kids, while others invested in building new houses for their families.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
We currently live in a very arid area where there is very little rainfall, so the first thing I thought of was to get enough food for the kids that could last for some time going into the unforeseeable future. I also spent around Kes 10000 buying new clothing for all the family members because according to me, the clothes we had by then had become old mostly due to wear and tear. Apart from that, I bought two goats which will act as some sort of financial savings going into the future. Finally, I spent a significant amount of that money on buying water given that getting water in this area has always been a challenge.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($544 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The transfer has enabled me to buy two cows which I never thought of owning. Apart from being assets to me, I know they will reproduce and increase in number and have many of them. I will also be getting milk from them soon and I will be selling some of it in order to earn some income. To me, owning these cows is the biggest difference in my daily life.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was woken up by a message notification and on checking the content of the message, it was from GiveDirectly informing me that I had received the transfer that they had promised us. I was filled with happiness at that instant and I am always thankful to GiveDirectly for the financial assistance.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent KES 48,000 of my most recent transfer to buy two cows to keep in my compound. Initially, I had none and I always desired to have them. However, I could not buy any because the little income I usually get from my daily hustles goes to the daily basic needs of our family. I am now glad since this was fulfilled when GiveDirectly came to our village and offered us the transfer, which enabled me to buy the cows which to me are my greatest assets that I have ever owned. I know they will reproduce very soon and increase in number. I will also be getting milk from the cows for my family's consumption and I can as well sell the surplus to earn an income. I also used a portion of the transfer to pay for my child's hospital expenses because he had been hospitalized due to an infection. I used the remaining amount to buy some shopping like food and in meeting other basic necessities for my family.
Enrolled
access_time 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My ambition has been to live a decent life like other people who are considered well off in the village. One is regarded to have a standard life when he or she owns a spacious iron roofed house, having livestock and at least getting three meals in a day. Currently, I depend on my husband whose job is to make and sell charcoal. This job is very tiresome and not reliable at all. With all efforts he has, we have managed to own a small iron roofed house and also getting at most two meals in a day. Receiving this money will mean changing our life for the better. I shall start a shop within the village because as at today, there is no shop. We shall use the remaining amount to repair our house and also buy two dairy cows. The income from these investments will sustain our family needs and thus make our life decent.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the afternoon when I prepares a first meal for my family. It is at this time when my husband has gotten something to eat. Having time sharing meals with my family makes me feel very happy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I am just a house wife and a mother to four children. Life has really been unfair to me because with my little family we face challenges in getting our daily meals. My husband's job of selling charcoal sometimes is not reliable. Lack of stable source of income is the biggest hardship that I have ever faced.
