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 ($493 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?
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 daily from my neighbor and this is so costly for me since I do not have a continuous source of income. I depend on small scale farming and casual jobs in the village. I rarely save some money. I didn't had money to buy the dairy cow, but I had wished to own one. When I received the second transfer I purchased a dairy cow. I am so grateful for the support because I no longer buy milk. My children get enough milk and I sell the surplus at the market to earn an income to meet other basic household needs. I no longer get stress up whenever I have visitors. GiveDirectly has changed my living standard.
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?
Dairy cow.
Food clothes
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($501 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I woke up in the morning like any other day and get ready to go out to sougth some work to do in order to provide for my family. When I was about to leave, I saw a message notification on my phone and upon checking it, I realized that I had received my first transfers which I had been promised. I was felt with joy as I knew that all the desires which I had shall come to pass.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is owning a dairy cow which I had desired for so long without a success. The money which I would earn from casual jobs would be enough to meet my daily expenditure and none for savings towards buying a dairy cow. I am so glad that we now have a lactating and my family can now drink milk. I am also grateful to GiveDirectly who enabled me to achieve my dream for the family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
At the time when I was receiving my first transfers, I was struggling with buying milk for use at home and for my young children to drink. This was too costly for me as my daily wage wasn't enough to buy all what was enough. I opted to buy a lactating dairy cow at KES 38000, this was to save me from buying milk on daily basis. I then spent another amount on buying two sacks of maize for consumption since we had little food stock. Again, I bought some new clothes for my children, my wife and myself. The remaining amount, I invested in poultry farming by buying some chicken in order to rear for egg production.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
This money shall be of great help to me and my family. Currently we do not have a dairy cow yet milk is one of the most essential source of protein especially for a family with young children like mine. The struggle that we go through to buy maize flour as well as milk for the family is really tough. I plan to use the money to buy my own dairy cow since I have a farm to take care of it. This will greatly improve the living standards of my family by helping us meet other needs of my family without necessarily burdening our parents who have their own needs as well. I also intend to use the remainder of the money to buy other livestock such as sheep that will help me in paying school fees for my children in future.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening when I am done with the day's work. This is so especially when I am done with the day's work and I can have time to relax and reflect on what is in store the following day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship that I have faced is having to rely entirely on quarrying business to meet my family's needs. This is sometimes so exhausting but I have to do it since failing to do this will see my family sleep hungry. I make an average of KES 300 Per day and this can take me for just a day.
