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.
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53200 KES ($482 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
The moment I received my transfer I was optimistic about the future, my life is different now than it would have been if I never received the transfer, in that I was able to start a goat rearing project that would be sustainable, this would mean that I would be able to earn an income, I also boosted my business which I am glad that my shop is fully stocked, meaning that it will attract more buyers. I am so glad and thankful that I was able to accomplish a lot in a short time.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly does it we all had equal chances to be heard, everything was done professionally and we were grateful for that. So far I have not seen any gap in their line of service.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a shopkeeper, I sell household items in the village. school fees have been my major worry, all my children are schooling, I decided to settle on a goat rearing project which is easy to manage at the same time sustainable, hence, I used KES 20,000 in starting up the project. I then used KES 20,000 in boosting my business which I am hopeful that I will be able to make a living out of it, and I am grateful for the timely support that lifted my life.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($510 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was relaxing in my house together with my neighbour when she heard of a message alert on her phone, on checking she jumped up full of excitement when I checked my phone the Mpesa message was also there, we could not keep calm, it was a day like no other.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My life is different now because I no longer worry about leaving my children unattended because of the casual jobs that I was doing before, I decided to employ myself by opening a small shop in the village where I now earn an income from it, I also get time to attend to my children, with the dairy cow I know soon I will have enough milk for my children. I am so grateful for the support because it changed my living standards.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used to work as a casual labourer where I earned very little and I would spend the whole day there working far from my children therefore when I received the transfer it acted as an eye-opener to me, I bought a dairy cow and also Started a small business which would earn me an income daily, I am so grateful for the support
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Reduced worry level on where to get daily food for my family is what receiving this money means to me. I have always aspired to buy a bigger piece of land for cultivation since the one I currently stay in with my family of four is too small (0.5acre) for farming. I will therefore use $600 of my transfer to buy a 2 acre piece of land. I will then use the remaining $350 to buy a cow hence getting rid of the toil of buying milk daily for family consumption.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My day-to-day routine entails looking for work to do in people's farms so as to earn some income that would enable me to support my family needs. These kinds of jobs are tedious, but getting back home every evening to reunite with my children is what I always long for, which makes this time the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I am a single mother of three struggling to make ends meet. I do casual jobs in people's farms to earn a living which enables me to support my children's education, healthcare as well as ensuring they are well fed. My daily earnings amounts to $3 and this amount is limited compared to the needs. I have been yearning to buy a bigger piece of land for cultivation that would reduce the burden of buying food daily, since I currently live in a 0.5 acre piece of land which is too small for farming. My dream of cultivating my own land has been futile due to lack of resources, which is the biggest hardship I face.
