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.
Learn more about how recipients opt in to share their stories.
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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 currently different from how it would have been had I not received the transfers in that if it was not for the money I would not have improved my business. The business has grown and currently people are able to get almost everything they need whenever they come shopping.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In opinion, Give Directly does well by reducing poverty. Giving people money is kind of eye opener because money solves a bigger percentage of people's challenges. A good example is our area where people had low living standards but currently the living standards improved. On the other hand, I have not seen any area of improvement on their side.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I boosted my business with a bigger portion of the recent transfer. It has been my main source of income and since I do not have other sources I had to add both more and new products. I am glad the business is currently doing well and I am earning good profit from it.
In addition, I bought goats for rearing as a way of investment for the future. I am more experienced in rearing goats and I believe I will not have hard time rearing them. Since goats also give birth twice a year, I am hopeful that by the end of the year I will have more goats.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($499 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I saw the transfer notification early in the morning as I was going for my daily work. On reading the contents, I realised it was a message from GiveDirectly informing me that I had received my first transfer. I felt happy and began to plan for 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 I now own goats which are assets to me. My expectation is that they will reproduce and increase in number. I am planning to educate my children who are still young through these goats. I can readily sell the offsprings to raise school fees for them. Thus this is a saving for the future of my children's education. Owning the goats makes the biggest difference in my daily life.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 32000 of the first transfer on buying ten goats that I am keeping in my homestead. My expectation is to see them reproduce and have many of them. I have two sons who are still young and are currently in lower levels of education. I am planning to keep these goats so that when my children are out of age and in high levels of education, I can sell the goats to cater for their fees. I also own a kiosk in my village and the premise was not in good condition. I spent a portion of the amount to buy cement and renovated it. The transfer has also enabled me to buy enough food daily in my household.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am a motorbike taxi driver since 2015, this job has been sustaining my family to date. Currently, the motorbike I own have been using is having mechanical problems. I am planning to spend $ 150 in repairing my motorbike. I will invest the remaining amount in my children by purchasing 7 high-breed goats at 50 dollars each. This will be my long-term investment as I will be able to sell them when they reproduce to educate them. This is what receiving this money means to me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Morning is the happiest part of my day waking up healthy and refreshed for the days work give me joy, Also it's at time that meet my children before leaving to work and come in the night when they are all asleep.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of adequate finances to fulfil to repair my motorbike has been the biggest hardship I am facing in my life. This has forced me to sometime spending the whole day without going to work. This has affected my income generation since I earn less than I used to earn per day, Making it hard to meet the needs of my family.
