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 ($523 USD)
access_time almost 5 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 from how it was in that, I have accomplished most of the goals that I had in mind. Owning most of the things and especially livestock has made me proud. This simply means that I will be able to take care of my needs easily but selling the product such as milk and when their is a need, I can sell the young ones. I feel that I will be able to take care of my financial needs better than rushing to take loans.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, what stood out from the work that GiveDirectly did in our village was the way all of us got the money. They did not discriminate against anyone. The money really helped us to achieve our goals and I can attest that our living standards have increased.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent part of my transfer to purchase a dairy cow. I only have oxen. This has always made me buy a liter of milk from my neighbor at 40 KES which is normally expensive. Soon, we will enjoy ourselves with enough milk. Apart from that, I also bought five goats. My children are in the upper and lower classes. They are almost joining high school. I do not want to be stranded in paying their school fees and this is why I had to think of the future plan. Buying ten birds (hens) was also a good idea for the school fees project. I truly want to give them a better education and I thank GiveDirectly for being part of this. One of the goals that I wanted to achieve was also having better seats which I did managed. The remaining amount was spent on purchasing maize. The harvest from the last season was over and so I had to buy some to sustain us for a long period of time as we wait for the harvest.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($531 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I am now a proud owner of a dairy cow. Even though I still buy milk daily, I am optimistic that this will end soon after it reproduces. Selling milk will also be a source of income to me that I will use to pay school fees for my children. I am also optimistic that my children's health will improve since they will be getting milk for their consumption and it will no longer be luxurious to us as it is now.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was still very early in the morning when I received a message notification on my phone. Since I was already awake, I decided to read the message and know its contents. My heart was filled with happiness upon realizing that GiveDirectly had finally sent me the promised money. This money gave me hope that my life would never be the same again.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
When I received my first transfer, I bought a dairy cow since it was my priority in the list. I am hoping that it will be calving soon and I will be able to save the money I would otherwise use in buying milk. Also, I bought some furniture majorly seats and a table and bought some decent clothes for my family. I channeled some amount on farming by hiring a tractor to till my farm and also bought maize seeds. I did all this in preparation for planting season. I am now glad since I will be among the first people to plant in my region and to take advantage of the short rains. I used the remaining amount to start a poultry keeping project by buying some chicken. I will be using the income from this project to pay for my children's school fees.
Enrolled
access_time 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money will enable me to start rearing poultry for sale, since i have always wished to initiate this project for a long time but capital has been a major challenge. I will therefore use part of the money to buy timber, nails, roofing iron sheets and wire mesh which i will use to construct a chicken coop, then buy chicks and their feeds. I will then use the remaining part of my transfer to pay next term's school fees for my children.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I usually spend most part of my day on the roads doing my bodaboda business, thus going back home in the evening to take a rest after toiling hard to earn some income that would enable me to buy food for my children at the end of the day, makes evening the happiest part of my day
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Being an employed motorcycle rider, i struggle in providing for my family since the little amount i am usually paid by my employer daily is spent in buying food and other basic needs for my family, thus none is left for savings. I have always wished to start up a business for my spouse so that she can help support in providing for the family but lack of capital has made this impossible, which is the biggest hardship i face