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?
I spend part of the money I received from GiveDirectly on extending my house, I build an extension rooms for my children.
They house that we used to live was so small and could not host all the family comfortably. My children are fast growing up and soon they will need their own privacy. I depend on small scale farming and casual jobs at the construction sites. I had always wished to build another house but I was not in a position to buy the building material.Currently I have spacious rooms for my children and for visitors. I no longer get stress up on where to host visitors. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has enabled us to own assets which could have taken quite some time. I have now devoted much of my time on poultry keeping and dairy farming.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly does well by giving money to the poor in the community to build better houses and to buy dairy cows. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spend part of the money I received from GiveDirectly on extending my house, I build an extension rooms for my children.
They house that we used to live was so small and could not host all the family comfortably. I also spend part of the money to buy two heifer. The rest of the money I bought food and clothes for the family. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has changed our living standard.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($502 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was after my day's work at around five in the evening when I checked my phone only to see Mpesa notification SMS from GiveDirectly which was delivered at 2pm. I was very excited and immediately withdrew the money because I was in town.Even though the money came late by three days contrary to the promised date I was very excited.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is owning a dairy cow. I had desired to buy a dairy cow for the past four years but I couldn't afford.The dairy cow will act as a source of milk and long term investment for settlement of school fees once my kids are grown up. The poultry project will also help in settlement of household expenses which was quite difficult before because my job is short term hence unreliable. Also my kids have grown healthier and happier than before and I am very grateful to GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 15,000 of my transfer on buying additional 10 chicken layers and putting up poultry farm which will soon cater for household expenditure. I spent KES 30,000 on a dairy cow which will aid in payment of school fees in the near future. I also spent KES 5000 on food items because it will sustain us for the next few months before next harvest. I spent KES 3000 on clothing for my family because it's good to be decent especially after receiving such a lump sum.The rest I have saved for household consumption.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means a lot to me and my family. We have been depending on casual labor as a source of income. I usually assist masons by mixing cement and sand in construction sites at a fee. Averagely at end of the day, I earn 500 shillings. This has been assisting me to purchase basic needs for my family of four. Since this goes only to cater to family basic needs I have not managed to save any. I have been aspiring one to start poultry farming. Incase I received these transfers I will fulfill my dreaming by using 30,000 shillings to purchase building materials to build a poultry house and some chickens.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Usually, after waking up in the morning I move around the neighborhood looking for casual jobs. Sometimes you are forced to travel for long distances to get one. Due to long distance, you are supposed to travel and the nature of the casual jobs I do is so tiresome. Evening now is the time atleast I get to rest and enjoy a meal with my family and that's is my happiest part of the day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship in my life is the lack of a stable income. Due to prolonged drought my potential customers I used to plough their farm at a fee change their source income from subsistence farming to dairy farming. Since I am the breadwinner I start visiting construction sites to do manual jobs atleast to earn a living but this is very rare to be found.
