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 over 3 years ago
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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 if I never received the transfers in that I have bought a dairy cow. I used to buy milk and it was so costly for me. I am a motorcycle taxi rider and the amount of money that I get through this is so small and I was not in a position to buy a dairy cow. Currently I own a dairy cow and I no longer buy milk. The amount of money that I could have used to buy milk I invest on other income generating project like poultry keeping. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has changed my living standard and for the people in my village.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly does well by giving money to the poor in the community to build better houses and to buy dairy cows. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spend part of the money I received from GiveDirectly to start a Poutry keeping project. This will earn me an income through the sales of eggs. I also bought cooking gas, clothes and food for the family. The rest of the money I bought a dairy cow. I had always wished to own a dairy but I didn't had money to buy one.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($500 USD)
access_time almost 4 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I remember it was around noon when I got a text confirming that I had received money from GiveDirectly. This has been the happiest moment in my life, I took the message and started reflecting on the hardship I had faced having no asset on my farm to call mine. I immediately thought of having a cow of my own that I will always rely on for milk and calves but to take pride in.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I feel rich and worth in my society now that I own a cow. I have lived keeping my fathers cow without knowing when I will ever get mine. Though I have been able to have milk from for both household and sales, I have been worried if anytime he wishes to sell or take it away from me since I would remain with none. Since GD came to our village for enrollment, I have so optimistic that I would have a cow of my own and today the biggest difference in my life is the dairy cow that I own and take pride in courtesy of GiveDirectly. I am no longer worried and am assured that the coming offsprings will be mine unlike before when I have been keeping other peoples cows.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I depend on mixed farming to earn a living and provide for my family. To me, receiving a transfer from GiveDirectly was a chance for me to boost my farming thus I took KES39000 to invest in farming. I bought a cow since I never had one, chickens to and to my poultry and a wire mesh to fence the poultry farm. In addition, I used KES10000 to build an extension room to my house that can allow me to host my visitors comfortably when I have them around. I used the remaining amount majorly on my family's daily basic needs mainly food.
Enrolled
access_time 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have been aspiring to start a poultry farming where I will be able to sell eggs and earn income.I am planning to use 25000 shillings of my transfer to buy building materials and buy 20 chickens at the cost of shillings 400 each.Since I am a father of 2 young children who needs a lot of support and I depend only on motorbike taxi business to earn a living.Therefore, this poultry keeping will be the best way to earn money to sustain my family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am engaged in a motorcyclists transportation.I normally start this work as early as 6 am. This job drains a lot of energy and it is risky. When I am back home in the evening I am very happy to meet my family and also have some rest.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of a reliable source of income that can support the needs of my family has been my biggest hardship.I purely depends on motorcyclist transportation but alone can not fully sustain the needs of my family.On a good day I can earn 500 shillings and this is hardly enough to cater for my family's basic needs, like food and clothing. I am happy to learn that soon I will be owning a business that will supplement this income once I receive give directly transfer.
