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 ($468 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 have an additional goal to start up a green grocery shop. I do not have a reliable source of income instead, I rely on burning charcoal for sale which is hectic and does not pay much. I believe the business will be a good source of income at the same time, it does not consume much energy and it is not risky as compared to burning charcoal.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, Give Directly does well by giving people cash and letting them decide on how to spend it. This is the best idea because at the end of the day people have various needs and through the money, a lot has improved in our village. On the other hand, there is nothing they are not doing well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I bought seven goats for rearing at a total cost of KES 18000 with the second transfer. They do well in our area and besides, they reproduce faster. I am hopeful that in the future after they will have given birth I will have more goats that I can sell in case of emergency. My spouse has been ailing for a while which has cost much till it reached a point when we could not afford his medication. I, therefore, used KES 10000 on his medication, and now he is recovering. KES 10000 I have saved for future use while a portion of the money I spent on foodstuffs for the family.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($492 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I felt very happy the moment I received the money because I had gotten something to help me fulfill the desires of my heart. Before, all I could do is just wish for something to happen since I did not have the ability to make them happen. My husband who is the sole provider had been struggling with some illness that was keeping him from actively providing for the family, therefore, getting this money was a relief. I was so happy.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference I can cite in my life is the fact that we now do not have to worry about where we will get food from, and my husband is on his recovery path to continue to actively provide for his family. Also, I got to extend a room in our house and there is some ample space and everything is organized now. I am happier and settled, all thanks to GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent a total of KES10500 to extend a room in our house so that there could be more space for our children and ourselves because before the house used to be so small and items in the house used to be scattered all over. I also bought a box of maize flour at first, at a cost of KES1200 because I wanted there to be food in the house and went ahead to buy a sack of maize to cushion and keep us from having to go back to the shop and buy a packet of maize flour when the box is done because buying a single packet every day is very costly and uneconomical. I used the remaining for my husband to get medical attention as well as repay the debts that had accumulated because he had become sick and we had no reliable means of getting medical attention, so when I got this money, I kept some aside for my husband's health.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means building a spacious house for my family. I am living in a one bedroom house together with our son . I also cook in the same living room. There is no privacy and also the family is affected by the smoke during cooking because I use firewood. I will buy a two bedroom house and a jiko for cooking. This will cost KES 70000. I will use KES 40000 to buy goats as investment. This will help me get school fees in future when my son starts schooling.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My happiest part of the day is in the evening. As a family, we are very much affected by the famine. This has made me cook only one meal per day. We only eat in the evening. So when my family takes meal in the evening, I feel happy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My husband works as a driver. On April 2021, he fall sick and came back home. Since then till July when he recovered from the sickness, we have been going without food. We did not have any investment that could have helped us during that time. That is the biggest hardship I faced in my life.
