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 ($465 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?
My initial goal was to use my transfer to offset school fee arrears for my two children. They have been studying in boarding primary school, and their arrears had accumulated to KES 10,000. Immediately I accomplished this goal, I developed a new goal of buying a 3000 litres water tank. In our place, there is a problem of water. We always get water from a stream that is relatively far away, about 20km. Having that water tank will not only relieve me from the struggle of fetching water but also save me from using contaminated stream water.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly does well in giving unconditional cash transfer. It also does well in creating awareness to the community on the nature of its transfer. This has helped in giving room for recipients to choose how to use their transfers thus they can relate of the impact transfers have in their lives. There is nothing that GiveDirectly does not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 35,000 from my most recent transfer to buy a cow. Previously, I only had one cow which could not produce sufficient milk for my family of four. With the additional cow, I shall be able to get surplus milk. I shall therefore sell the surplus in order to raise money that will supplement my household income. As a result, I shall find it easy to raise school fees for my two hardworking children. In addition, I spent KES 6000 to buy a new set of clothes for my two children since whatever they previously had were old with some patches. I am glad that they are currently presentable.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($484 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 8pm while already asleep when I heard an SMS notification on my phone. On checking, I confirmed to have received KES55000 from GiveDirectly. I was very excited and slept happily that night.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is since I started receiving this transfers is purchase of a 3000 liters water tank which has relieved from water transportation. Through the transfers, I have also managed to pay school fees for my kids and I have food in bulk which can feed my family for the next three months. I normally rely on second hand clothing business in order to sustain my family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES21000 on a 3000 liters water tank to help in water storage because the nearest water source is half an hour away and the water is not fit for consumption. I also spent KES5000 on payment of school fees for my kids in boarding school. I also spent KES5000 on food, and KES3000 on latest clothing fashion.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Additional income to my household is what receiving this money means to me. I have 2 lactating cattle which produce 6 liters of milk for sale at KES 240 daily. I will therefore add one Friesian cow going for KES 40,000, hence an assured KES 150 top-up to my daily income. I will use KES 8,400 of my transfer to clear school fees for my two children in kindergarten. I also intend to initiate poultry keeping, whose income from selling poultry products such as eggs and meat will supplement my earnings from selling milk. I will therefore use KES 10000 to build a modern chicken coop, KES 7000 to fence my compound with wire mesh, and the remaining KES 35,000 to buy chicken.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My twenty friends from the neighborhood and I decided to form a local savings group (marry go-round) in April this year. We usually contribute KES 300 per person each week, which amounts to KES 6000 and one person in the group receives all the amount weekly. My turn to receive the money was the second week of last month. I have always wanted to buy goats which would be my store of wealth to be sold whenever any need arises and this was an opportunity for me to actualize my dream. I bought two goats @KES 3000 each and this was the best moment of my life this year
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
During these tough economic times, supporting family needs satisfactorily is the biggest challenge we face. My spouse who is a mason earns approximately KES 5000 monthly and this is only enough to buy food for us. Our farms are no longer productive due to prolonged droughts in this region and this made us resolve to livestock keeping. We currently have two lactating cattle which produce 6 liters of milk for sale, which amounts to KES 240 daily. We spend all the amount in paying school fees for our two children in kindergarten, hence we rarely build up savings that could enable us to venture into more profitable enterprises.
