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 ($438 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?
My next move would be to start a poultry project to make an extra income from it. To realise this goal. I plan on saving money from my monthly salary to realise this dream. I am so happy for the support that came as an eye-opener for us to uplift our living standards.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly has changed the economic status of our community, I was able to realise my dream within a short period. We are forever grateful for the support that equally transformed our lives without any form of discrimination. I did not see anything that needed to be changed or witnessed any inefficiencies.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The moment I received my second transfer, I prioritised settling a debt that had accumulated for a while, where I used $120. I am so happy and relieved that it lifted a heavy burden off my back, thus I am debt free. Secondly, I purchased a dairy cow worth $300 which will make me cut down on the cost of buying milk daily. It was not easy before, due to financial constraints. I depend on selling recharge cards to earn a livelihood. I am married and blessed with a child. I am so grateful for the support that has lifted my living standards.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I felt so happy the moment I received money from GiveDirectly. I was out travelling with my mother where we had attended a certain function. I did not hear my phone ring but saw the message from GiveDirectly at around 5:00 pm. I met my mother later on at that event and she was all smiles having received hers too. We later came home very happy where we organized ourselves on how best we were going to spend the money to get maximum benefits from it.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that we are now much more happy as a family than we have ever been. Having cleared school fees for my wife that saw her attain her certificate and made her ready in the job market has made me very happy. The fact that we were able to bring our house to almost complete is something that made us happy as well. We will always be indebted to GiveDirectly as a family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used KES 5000 to clear school fees arears for my wife and used another KES 45000 to improve the house that we had already constructed almost to completion. The remaining amount of money was used to buy food, clothes and other basic household needs for our family. I normally rely on a small casual job that I have to make ends meet and had I not received the money from GiveDirectly then I would have had to wait a little longer to accumulate enough money to be able to accomplish the things I did. I feel so much happy to have benefitted from these transfers and for the help that it has offered to us as a family.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have been building a bigger house where I can accommodate my growing family. Currently, I live in a small hut with my family of three. Therefore, I decided to start construction in the year 2021 but I have not completed it due to financial constraints. I earn about KES 5000 per month from selling airtime scratch cards for Safaricom. This income is shared between meeting my household daily expenses and continuing the construction. I will spend about KES 50,000. I will then start a poultry keeping business by building a poultry house and buying about KES 20 Chicken and its feeds.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In the last six months, my biggest source of joy is having a newborn, an indication that I have to settle down and focus on taking care of my family. I am happy seeing her grow well, and healthy, meaning that I am already taking enough responsibility for her life.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Currently, the challenge that I face is insufficient food for the household. My little income from selling airtime is not enough because the cost of household items like Milk, Maize, and cooking oil has gone up.
