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 ($523 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent the second transfer paying school fees for my children. One of my children is completing school this year. This is why I need to make sure that I pay for him on time to facilitate her studies. The other two are joining secondary schools in the coming week. I had to save part of the money for this huge task of paying a lot of school fees for intake and meeting all the requirements.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, the thought of enabling the poor to acquire assets, that they know how to utilize, for example, livestock is the best that GiveDurectly has done. We are able to use the money to secure ways of making money back in our villages that make our lives better. We are so grateful.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I would not have managed to build a house for my children without GD. They used to sleep in my neighbor's house where they would not get time and space to read because they would all meet in the house with their friends and cousins. I always build them a separate house where I can make them study hard and too well in academics so that they ger a better life in the days to come.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($530 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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What did you spend your first transfer on?
When I received my first transfer, I spent part of it to buy some building materials to use in building a house for my children and a store. My children usually sleep at our neighbor's house and this usually inconveniences their studies in the evening. Their security is also not always assured since they have to walk for a long distance at night when they are going to sleep. I am now glad since they will get enough time to study and their security will be enhanced. I have been storing my farm produce in our bedroom because I did not have a store. This made it congested and cleaning was always a tedious job. Also, I spared some amount to buy four goats for rearing. When they reproduce and increase in number, I will sell some of them and use the money to buy a heifer. I used the remaining amount to buy some clothes for my family so that they will not feel left behind.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 3 a.m. when I received two message alerts. Upon realizing that GiveDirectly had sent us money, my heart was filled with happiness and I gave a lot of thanks to God and GiveDectly. I knew that I would be able to achieve my life dreams using the money.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my life is that I am now a happy parent. This is because I now believe that my children's security is now assured. Apart from my children having a place to sleep comfortably, I also have a place to store my farm produce.
Enrolled
access_time 5 years ago
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My spouse and I do not have a good source of income.He works as a butcher at a nearby center while I do the farmwork at home.There is never any guarantee that at the end of the day we will both have money enough to buy food as well as other needs.We are also struggling to pay school fees and sometimes when there is no money the children are forced to stay at home while their collegues study.Lack of a stable source of income is the biggest hardship I have faced
What is the happiest part of your day?
Throughout the day I get busy in the farm: weeding or planting as well as taking care of our two cows.My teenage daughter recently gave birth and now am forced to look after the baby as the mother goes to school.All these is really tiring for me and I hardly get time to rest. In the evening when my children are back from school I get time to rest after a long day.This is the happiest part of my day
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have a son who in Secondary school.He is already a grown man and as such requires his private space.In our culture,once a boy goes through circumcision, they are no longer allowed to sleep in the same house as the parents.Due to money related challenges together with the struggles to feed and educate my children,I have not been able to raise money to build him his own house where he can study and sleep.He has therefore been forced to sleep at a neighbour's house and I sometimes see this as demeaning.Receiving this money means that I will finally be able to build him a small house.