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
53010 KES ($357 USD)
access_time 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Reviving my Ankara business with the first transfer was a moment of hope and opportunity. Generating a daily income of $15 from its sales, I see the potential for providing a stable life for my family of seven. In the coming years, I plan to invest more effort and time into this venture, ensuring its growth and sustainability. This opportunity has breathed new life into my financial prospects, and I am determined to make the most of it for the well-being of my family.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
I am truly grateful to GD for the substantial and unconditional support they provided. This was a pivotal moment for me, as I had never experienced such a significant amount of money before. It marked a turning point in my life, enabling me to make choices that were previously beyond my reach. With this support, I ventured into my own business, and since then, my life has been transformed for the better. I owe this positive change to GD, and I am profoundly thankful for the opportunity they have given me.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The second transfer has ushered in a ray of hope for my family. To secure my family's financial stability, I wisely allocated $450 to initiate a goat-rearing venture, acquiring 10 goats. This strategic decision is rooted in the thriving goat farming environment in our region, where ample pastures contribute to their well-being and faster multiplication. This venture carries the promise of future income, a resource I intend to channel into providing a good education for my five children, all of whom are yet to join high school. This marks a significant stride towards securing their future. Additionally, I made a personal investment in my comfort and well-being by exchanging my old, uncomfortable sleeping arrangement on the floor for a new mattress and bed. Now, I enjoy peaceful and restful nights, in contrast to the discomfort I endured before. This transformation has added a sense of contentment to my life.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($384 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The evening sun was casting a warm glow as I retrieved my phone from the charging station at the trading center. With a sense of anticipation, I powered it on, only to be greeted by a notification that seemed to light up the entire screen only to find out that the first GiveDirectly transfer of $550 had been deposited into my account. My heart swelled with a mixture of emotions, a cascade of gratitude, disbelief, and hope washing over me. It was as if a weight I had carried for so long had suddenly lifted, replaced by the realization that the things I had only dreamed of due to financial constraints were now within reach.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Receiving support from GiveDirectly has completely transformed my life. My business has flourished beyond my wildest dreams, enabling me to adequately provide for my family. In the past, I could only afford a limited stock of six pieces of clothing for sale. However, with the cash transfer, I was able to purchase a staggering 95 pieces of clothing, greatly expanding the variety I offer to my customers. This wider selection has not only attracted more customers but also provided them with a diverse range to choose from. My business is now thriving, enabling me to provide for the family without straining like before.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Receiving the cash transfer from GiveDirectly was like a ray of hope breaking through the clouds of uncertainty in my life. With $500 of the received amount, I opted to breathe new life into my struggling boutique business. Previously, I could only afford to buy at most six pieces of clothes to stock my shop, barely enough to meet my customers' demands. However, this windfall changed everything. I invested the money wisely, purchasing a whopping 95 pieces of clothes that now adorn the racks of my boutique. The vibrant array of choices has drawn customers like never before, their smiles reflecting the newfound confidence I now feel. This expanded stock has not only transformed my business but my family's future as well. The reasonable profit I anticipate making will help me provide for my loved ones without the constant strain and worries that used to shadow our days.
With the remaining $47, I ensured that my loved ones wouldn't go to bed hungry. I purchased essential food items, and every meal shared became a testament to the positive change that GiveDirectly had brought into our lives.
Enrolled
access_time over 1 year ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
Education for my children becomes one of my top priority. This is because I have come to realize, the lack of reliable skills expose one to poverty. I have never imagined to put my children in the same problems I have experienced in this life. The thought of giving us cash will mean offsetting this problem once and for all. My plan is to venture into livestock rearing (goats), to act as investment for my children. This project will support them in school since the goats multiply in a short time. I will be able to cater for any school expense in the future. To start with, I will buy 10 indigenous goats, a project that will cost me utmost $300. The remaining part of the first transfer will clear my son's fee arrears in high school. The second disbursement will help me to repair my house's roof which is currently leaking. Hence, this is generally what receiving this money means to me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Life can become so tougher especially when you lack reliable skills to help you earn income to support your family. This has exposed me to the menace of food insecurity. Fortunately, as a farmer with high passion, I actively engaged myself in tilling my 4-acres piece of land. Since we were blessed with heavy rains this season, I am so happy to have a lot of green maize in my farm. This has currently been my source of happiness because, food insecurity will soon be a problem of the past in my household. Hence, this is basically what has put a smile on my face.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I never imagined that life could get more worse in my family. The stress of lacking adequate income to support my family of 7 has depressed me a lot. Since I am a house wife, I majorly depend on my husband who is a casual labourer in charcoal work. His income hardly sustain all our needs because in a month, he makes utmost $50. Imagine watching my children crying due to hunger! This is the painful moment I have been in my life. I am always in thoughts of how I can get out of this menace. A miracle! Yes, GiveDirectly has truly come for my rescue and I am so optimistic about a better change soon. Hence, the financial crisis stands out to be my biggest challenge at the moment.