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 ($517 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life has changed as compared to how it was before. This is because I am now able to purchase new clothes for my family, we have never lacked what to eat as we did before the transfers were sent, I have managed to finance the construction of our family house and with the balance that remained, I revived my donut business which I hope will be a source of revenue to our household.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, the fact that GD is issuing grants is a plus. This allows the beneficiaries to spend the transfers depending on priority with no fear of how to pay it back as loaners treat their lenders.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
When I received my second transfer, I used part of the amount to purchase livestock. I am planning to rear goats in the form of investment for future purposes. Besides that, I also spent part of the transfers to facilitate the construction of our family house because the one we were living in was small for the fast-growing family. The remaining amount I revived my donut business had collapsed due to the lack of resources.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($545 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The fact that I renovated my house has made my life to be totally different. This is because initially, I used to sleep in a grass-thatched house that was leaking during the winter season and it was also small. I never had peace whenever it rained since my children used to sleep at their grandfather's house which was also small but for me, I had no option but to stay awake till the rain stops. I was always attacked by pneumonia due to cold nights. I was almost losing hope of living because I have never enjoyed my marriage life. Today the story is different. I am sleeping under a semi-permanent house that is well plastered and iron-roofed. I no longer have to worry about the winter seasons or even the harmful insects that were always attacking me. GiveDirectly has brought joy in my life that I never expected anytime soon.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 7 am when I was from the dam fetching water then I heard my phone vibrating continuously. I was a bit shocked but then I decided to check what the notification was all about. I was very happy when I realized that I had received my transfer from GiveDirectly and celebrated the whole day with my family.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying some building material such as building poles and a few pieces of iron sheets. This was purposely for the renovation of my house. It was in poor condition and very small. I later bought a bed and mattress. The previous ones were old. Most of the time I could experience backpains. I am so happy that I sleep well nowadays. I then bought new school uniforms for my children and cleared their school fees as well. Truly, I am now a happy parent because the issue of school fees has really been stressing me for long. The remaining amount f money was spent on buying foodstuffs and other household items.
Enrolled
access_time almost 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
To own a cafe business has been my biggest ambition for a very long time. I used to help one of my friends in this business and I feel I have enough experience to operate my own. The motive behind this idea is to supplement our income since I depend mostly on my spouse. Therefore, receiving this transfer means putting this dream to reality. In addition to this, I will start goat rearing. Investing in these animals will make it easy to generate finances for more straining needs like school fees.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My mood is normally lively in the morning. This is after the night long rest which relieves me of stress as well as regaining my lost energy. It therefore gives me strength to continue with my normal duties thus making morning the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My first born daughter has been sick for the whole year. She developed a strange ulcer on her neck which I thought would clear on its own. However, this was not case and it developed into a growth causing her entire face to swell. She underwent a minor surgery that cleared the swelling but her condition has not improved. She often complains of severe pain and there are some days that she missed school. Seeing her in this situation has put me into great depression and I can say her illness is my biggest hardship.