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
55000 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 new goal that I did not have before receiving the transfer is purchasing a water tank. We used to walk for a long distance to collect clean water for drinking, When I received the transfer I decided to buy a tank. I am so happy because currently we no longer walk that long distance in search of clean water since we harvest the rainwater.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
The training was perfectly done as well as the registration. The people who received the transfer in our village spent it well. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 21,000 on purchasing a water tank for storing clean for drinking. This is because we used to walk for a long distance to collect the water, It was so tiresome and time-consuming. Currently, I have enough water for our domestic uses. I spent KES 12,000 on adding stock to my retail shop business. Currently, I have been able to meet the demand of my customers. I did some renovation of my house and it now looks decent. The remaining money I spent on food and clothes for my children.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($492 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
Even though I had been so excited with the hope of receiving the transfer, my joy after confirming the money in my account on D-day was overwhelming. The reality just dawned on me that it was finally time to put all the ideas I had been having into action. I was alone in my shop that morning and I had to inform my spouse through the cellphone and he was also so excited that he promised to be home early that day.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I used to buy milk daily before receiving the transfer and I am glad that this is no longer the case anymore since I was able to purchase a dairy cow. This has brought great joy to my family and I hope to soon get enough milk not only for our household consumption but also surplus for sale when it reproduces. Acquiring a dairy cow is the biggest difference in my daily life. It has brought an instant shift from the hopelessness that was slowly getting roots to being hopeful once again after the transfer.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Life has been hard and acquiring some assets like livestock has been impossible especially when one has no stable source of income. This is the state GiveDirectly found me in when they came for enrollment and buying milk had been my routine. On receiving my transfer, I decided to spend KES 35000 to buy a dairy cow so that we can always have enough milk for consumption when it reproduces. Also, I spent KES 11000 to restock my shop by buying more items since I had started using the income from it to meet our daily needs without restocking it. As a way of improving my house, I spent KES 5000 to purchase ten pieces of ceiling and I am happy that my house will very soon look more beautiful and presentable.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have been a shopkeeper selling items in my house for the last 10 years with a plan of having a separate structure on the roadside. The structure will provide enough space to accommodate a variety of goods and also offer people easy accessibility. Receiving this money means I will be able to construct a room and increase my stock for KES 40,000. I also intend to buy 1 dairy cattle for KES 25,000 to supplement my family with milk for both domestic and commercial use. For the remaining balance, I plan to improve my housing condition like the walls and roof.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Being a shop attendant in my in-house shop, the happiest part of my day is in the evening. It is at this of the day that I get more customers buying items. The more they come, the more the income, and the more the profit margin I get.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I was blessed with two kids and used to live with my family in a different county for a very long time. Family disputes prompted me to relocate to the current county that I reside. With the limited resources at my disposal, I had to look for another school for my kids, construct a new house and buy almost everything. Settling and adjusting to a new environment took a lot of my precious time that I could have rather used to better my family. This for me is the biggest hardship that I have ever faced in my life.
