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 ($442 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
For now, I do not have any new goals and I am grateful for the ones that I was able to accomplish. The fact that I have been able to run the business is a great achievement for me because, at the end of the day, I have been able to earn a living unlike before. I can now cater for my children's daily needs even without my spouse's support.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly has been doing a credible job, especially in our village. The fact that the organisation offered their help financially has enabled us to own decent permanent houses from the grass thatched ones. Also, we have been able to send our children back to school since they have been staying home due to the arrears. I do not see any part that GiveDirectly need to change.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 20000 of my second transfer on starting a business (selling petrol). It has been my wish to start the business but I could raise the capital needed due to the poverty life that had stricken my household. I am now happy and ambitious because at least I will be earning something unlike before whereby I used to rely on my spouse for all my needs. Additionally, I bought four goats at a total of KES 20000. These will be the assets that I can readily rely on in case of any emergency. Also by the time my children transition to secondary schools, I will be able to sell some and cater for their fees. With the remaining amount of money, I bought foodstuff and new school uniforms for my three children.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($475 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I felt so happy the moment I received money from GiveDirectly. I was at my place of work. I called my husband and informed him of the same and clearly he was so happy too.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the livestock that I bought.This is an investment that has greatly boosted me in terms of finances and the business of selling fuel has also been improved a great deal. The margin of profit has greatly increased ever since and I personally cannot thank GiveDirectly enough for their support.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We used the money to buy two dairy cows worth Kes 30000 and used another KES 20000 to improve my business of selling fuel.The money saw me increase my stock of fuel from 20 litres to 60 litres and I can't stop being happy considering the amount of profit that I now make. We can now gather for the needs of our children comfortably than we could do before the transfers.
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Access to basic education for my three children is the biggest ambition I have ever had. My family depends on charcoal burning business. However, this earns us KES 1400 a week. This is not enough to meet our basic needs and pay school fees. All the profit I earn is solely used to buy food and water which has made my children to be consistently out of school. It is sad to see them crying especially when they see their peers going to school every morning. I intend to fix this problem by starting a petrol selling business in the village. I will buy a 5000 litre tank which I will use to store fuel that I will sell to motorists in the village. This business will cost me KES 40000. The rest, I will purchase ten goats which I will keep and sell when they multiply as an investment for my future.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Good health of my family has given me joy and happiness in the last six months. For over two years now, my spouse and I have been falling sick more often that in most cases we would go without a meal in a day or two because nobody would go burn charcoal. It is actually a miracle that none of us has fallen sick for the last half a year.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Imagine a family of 5 without a reliable source of income. This is what is giving my spouse and I sleepless nights. We all depend on charcoal burning business to make both ends meet. In a good week, we can make KES 1400 which cannot satisfactorily meet our basic needs especially education for our three children. What pains my heart the most is when they shed tears every morning when their classmates pass by as they head to school. This has rendered us hopeless.
