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
55000 KES ($483 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 am leaving in a neighborhood where most of the people who move out of the village have to sell their pieces of land to their immediate family members. In the past year, one of our family members moved out of the village and had been struggling to sell their piece out though no one has been willing to take a land amidst other family lands. At the moment, I have seen it convenient for me to take advantage of this and raise enough money that can enable me to own the piece. I have no major reliable sources at the moment, but I am looking forward to a bumper harvest in the next few months.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, the impressive improvement of our living standards both within the household and even in the village is traced back to the massive and organized support that was brought by GiveDirectly. The process was so smooth and never took any longer before we received the first and the second transfer. This speed ensured that we initiated and completed all that we had planned to. Everything went well and no one complained during and after, but thanked GiveDirectly for the generous support.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After the start of the construction of my new house before the receipt of the first transfer, I hard to do a lot of renovations of the floors that involved the placement of new tiles that cost KES 20000, several bags of cement worth KES 10000, and also paid the labor charges of KES 6500. I also settled school fees for my two children in the nearby private boarding primary school, purchased enough foodstuff for my family of five, and saved the remaining amount that helped a lot in sorting smaller bills and emergencies during the construction period. I am glad that I am no longer seeing the big cracks on my floors and the tiles fixed made cleaning easier and saved a lot of time for other activities.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($500 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I can vividly recall that it was 9:43 am, I was tending to my cows in the fields when I heard my phone vibrating loudly, when I checked I was overwhelmed to see that I had received a sum of KES 55,000 that morning, I immediately called my husband to inform him of the good news that I had received, he was equally excited and happy for the blessings. We then embarked on planning on how we would use our transfer. I am grateful for the support that impacted my life amazingly.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I was able to build a granary where I will be storing the farm products unlike before where I used to keep everything inside my house, I am also happy that I boosted my business which I am hopeful that it will grow.GiveDirectly brought a change in our lives, our living standards have been lifted to a higher level and we are grateful for the unconditional transfer that we were given wholeheartedly
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a businesswoman hawking second-hand clothes in the village, I am a mother of three , my husband is working in the city as a prison warder. when I received my transfer I consulted with my husband on what would suit us best, We agreed on building a granary and a store that we would be storing maize and other items. We, therefore, used KES 30,000, I then used KES 12,500 in boosting my business and finally paid KES 5000 as tithe in the church. I am happy that everything went on smoothly just the way we had planned. I am grateful for the support that has changed our lives positively.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Currently, I am just a housewife, meaning we depend wholly on my husband to provide for us and gain our finances. This makes me feel inferior and that I cannot contribute significantly toward the development of my family and the expansion of our wealth. Hence, receiving this money means that I shall be gaining some income for my family because I will venture into the business of trading second-hand clothes within my vicinity. I have been yearning to do such a project since there exists a ready market for the target products. Overall, I shall feel empowered and equally superior like "other wives" who do not depend solely on their husbands for their livelihood and sustenance of their families.
What is the happiest part of your day?
As a housewife and a subsistence farmer, I am always busy from early morning to late afternoon while handling varied chores and farming tasks. As such, the happiest part of my day is in the evening when I am taking some rest and interacting with my family members. As a responsible wife, I would always endeavor to accomplish my roles.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
As a family, we have been relying solely on my husband's income from his casual job. When the Covid-19 pandemic stroke, my husband lost his job since many local companies laid off their staff in attempts to contain the disease. As a result, we had to struggle to make ends meet since we had no other source of income. To worsen the situation, we were repaying a loan. The pressure we experienced as a family was the worst. Hence, the loss of a casual job by my husband following the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic act as the biggest hardship we have faced as a family.
