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 ($518 USD)
access_time 4 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
The biggest difference in my life is that I boosted my farming with the transfers which I received from Give Directly. After buying the two cows, I also did paddocking which makes my work much easier as I can let the cattle graze on an enclosed area while I work on my farm. This advancement has made me proud as a farmer and no longer depend on others as I can sell milk and have income which enables me to buy other family necessities.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, Give Directly did well by giving us money which we would then plan for it. There was no restriction on what to spend on and more importantly, the money is not refundable. There nothing which I can say that Give Directly never did well as there enrolment was so transparent.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent some amount on buying building materials and also paid a mason the full cost of construction of a posho mill. A large portion, I spent on buying a dairy cow for milk production. I bought one to make them two so that I would alternate serving so that we would have milk all throughout the year. I used part of the remaining amount to buy some poles and barbed wire to use in fencing my compound and paddocking grazing fields for our cattle.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($535 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I am now more economically empowered than ever before. I feel so happy that I now have assets of my own and I will be able to meet the cost of my needs now and in the future with much ease.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The moment I received my money from GiveDirectly I felt so happy. I had just woken up at 5:00 am and I was surprised that I had just received a sum of KES 55000. I was all smiles since I have never received such amount of money before.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I used KES 36000 to buy a cow and the remaining KES 5000 to buy a solar battery and the remaining amount was used to fence the compound. I thought of buying a cow as an additional to the one that I already own since it will help me in future in meeting the basic household needs once I start milking and selling the milk it produces. The idea of buying a battery was triggered by the fact that we had been spending a lot on alternative source of light-money which would otherwise have been used to make other investments.
Enrolled
access_time over 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means that I will be able to buy a cow.I have one already but when it is no longer lactating,my spouse and I have to incur extra expenses to buy milk for our young children.We have always thought that if we had two,we would be able to alternate so that when one no longer produces milk the other may substitute for a while hence this will reduce our expenses
What is the happiest part of your day?
Everyday,I go to my farm to work.There is always something to do;be it digging,weeding,planting,harvesting e.t.c according to the season.Farming is a job I enjoy so much- probably because I was born and brought up in such a rural setting where farming was the main economic activity.This job also defines whether at the end of the day my children will have a meal or not.Working in the farm from morning till afternoon makes this the happiest part of my day
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I completed primary school and enrolled in a nearby polytechnic.There,I took a tailoring course with the hope that when I complete I will be able to set up a tailoring business.Since I completed the course in 2014,I have not been able to secure capital to actualize my dream.My spouse does not have a reliable job and therefore he cannot support me in this.I have since been forced to be a full time housewife and the skill I learnt gone to waste.This is the biggest hardship I have faced
