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 ($441 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I have a new goal which is to start a business selling vegetables in the neighbouring town. I feel this will be the best business for me to operate considering that it is very profitable that is according to the research that I conducted. Apart from that I will still have ample time with my children and offer them the support they deserve. Being jobless, it has not been easier for my spouse to fend for all our family needs, I, therefore, feel he needs my help as well for us to make ends meet.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly did well by offering us the support in form of cash. This was the best idea considering that we were also allowed the best we can utilise the cash according to our household needs. I am grateful to be among the beneficiaries and I do not see anything that the organisation did wrong.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my second transfer on buying a bed and a mattress at KES 8000. I felt its high time I needed to upgrade from the traditional beddings which are made of ropes. I have been encountering sleepless nights because of the condition of the bed. As a result, I was always in and out of the hospital, I am thankful that for now there is a great relief. I no longer complain about the pains or all sorts of difficulties. To add to that, I bought a dairy cow at KES 16000 and two goats at KES 6200 respectively. I had to resolve these types of livestock because with the dairy cow, I am certain that it will start reproducing milk in a few months to come whereby I will be supplying it to the nearby dairy cows and earning a living. Also, the goats, normally reproduce twice a year which is evident that I will have many of them within a short duration. I will therefore be able to sell one or two and sort any kind of emergency that might arise. Again, I bought new uniforms and stationery for my four kids who are in primary school. With the remaining cash, I opted to buy foodstuff for my seven family members which took us almost three weeks.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($465 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I heard a notification on my phone at about five in the evening when I was still in the farm making my land ready in case it rained. When I finally realised that the organization had kept its word by sending the funds they had promised I was so excited I all honesty because GiveDirectly proved not to be a hoax because I definitely had my doubts in the beginning.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I have wanted for renovate my house for the longest time but unfortunately failed because renovation was quite costly and I barely had the funds. Luckily I got enrolled in the program and I finally had the opportunity to fix my house. Apart from that, I am also definitely happy because my children finally managed to get back to school after staying home close to month.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I decided to use the funds to help renovate my house especially since it looked like it was about to collapse over the foundation being swept away by heavy rain during the rainy season since it was a mud house. Therefore I purchased twenty two pieces of iron sheets for KES 29,000 and timber worth KES 5,150. I was planning to replace my previous grass thatched roof with the iron sheets since they were long lasting and waterproof. Afterwards I decided to settle tuition debts for my children so I paid KES 8,000 in tuition fee for my children since it had been three weeks since they were out of school and bought then brand new school uniform which cost me KES 2,400 .Apart from that, I also bought a solar panel since I wanted better and proper lighting in my house and I paid a deposit of KES 7,000 for the panel a. As for what was left, I used the funds to ensure my family and I always had a meal.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am a mother of five children married ten years ago. I have been sleeping on the flour since my first day of marriage. I only enjoyed sleeping on a bed and a mattress when I was at my paternal home. My house is falling and I do not have strength to repair it. My husband works at the manganese quarry as a casual labourer earning a daily wage of KES 400 in a day. The earnings cannot sustain the needs of my house and therefore I have been thinking about starting a green grocer shop just within my compound but it needs a capital of KES 20,000 which I cannot not raise this. I have been having business mind since I was young before marriage, but have never got the opportunity to exploit my desires to be a business woman. We are buying food and daily usable goods from a distance of 1 kilometer from my compound; something which gives me hopes that if I open a grocery shop in my compound, I will have potential customers for my business. Receiving the first transfer will give me the opportunity to open my green grocery and do my business so that I boast the house hold earnings. My husband is doing a very straneous job at the quarry and I am fearing how his healthy will be in five years time if he still be doing the same job. I will spend the second transfer to repair my house and buy a new bed and a mattress so that I enjoy my sleep like others.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Seeing my children enjoying a good meal is something which gives me happiness in my life. I have embraced difficulties in my house. All the years, I have never enjoyed a new year celebration better than this year. My husband got an off on the December end of the month and we had some money. We bought our children new clothes, slaughtered a chicken and enjoyed with rice. My husband bought me a material to make a dress . This brought joy and happiness to me seeing my children have eaten and satisfied in their own house unlike the other new year celebrations which I used to take my children to my marternal home for the new year celebration.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Food insecurity is becoming a challenge in my house because the wages my husband gets from the quarry work cannot give my five children 3 meals in a day. Drinking water is a havoc! We get drinking water from a tap which is more than 2 kilometres away from my compound. We have to wakeup early in order to que to get this precious comondity. My house is about to fall and I am not thinking about repairing it because I dont have money to do that. I have been sleeping on the floor for years, I wish I could have a bed and a mattress to enjoy my nights. I am facing alot of life problems but luck of capital to start a business of my own could be the source of these challenges in my house.
