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 ($521 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?
My spouse now owns a motorcycle and he operates it within our locality. He ferries people to different locations and also carries goods for some people. Due to this, he has been able to provide for our daily needs on time and has also had time to concentrate on his farm. In addition to this, one of my daughter has been able to successfully complete her secondary school education and will be joining college very soon. All this would not have been possible had it not have been for the transfer since we had no money to use in accomplishing it.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly did well by ensuring that everyone who was enrolled got the transfers and I do not see anything that they did not do well.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent KES 20000 from my second transfer to build a decent and spacious house for my family. We had been living in a small house that could not accommodate us comfortably and we had no privacy as parents. Also, I paid school fees for my children so that they would not be sent back home. On the remaining amount, I bought some basic needs for my family. I bought some decent clothes for my children and food that would last us for some time.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($543 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
Being a subsistence farmer with all the family needs to be taken care of, meeting all to the necessities was challenging. I engage in farming that does not have a predictable return since it depends on both climatic condition and prices in the market hence making unstable for me. Maintaining a family from one harvesting season to the next was had since I could spend most of the farm returns on my children school fees hence living us little for family consumption that could get finished. The biggest difference in my daily life currently is daily returns I earn from the motorcycle I bought using part of my first transfer. I currently have a daily income that had never happened before. I have a security of providing for my family through the motorcycle taxi that my husband operates daily and even save some for other financial needs that might arise.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was felt so happy when I received the transfer from GD at around 500AM. I broke the news to the family who had been eagerly waiting for and they wall happy and thankful.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
Earning a daily income as a family had been our dream for quite long but due scarce resources and ever-rising family needs realizing was never possible. I took KES20000 of my first transfer to buy a second-hand motorcycle that is currently used by my husband to operate a motorcycle taxi in the village. I am so happy I have a daily income that can sustain me till the next harvesting season and even remain with some to save unlike before. Since I have children various schools that I have always struggle to clear their fee on time I used KES15000 of my first transfer to clear and outstanding fee areas and pay part of the new term fee hence I will have humble time to clear the remaining as my children are not sent out of school like before. I had majorly depended on farming that has unpredictable returns since its majorly affected by climatic condition and also fluctuating prices hence making it an unstable source. Beside all these challenges in farming, I used the remaining amount of my first transfer on short season crop farming. I am happy I have better-prepared larger piece of land, variety of crops-beans and cabbages unlike before. I am planning to use the return on my children school fee since I am hopeful of better returns.
Enrolled
access_time 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have six children, two of whom are in secondary school while three are in primary. One of those in secondary is a candidate for this year's Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (KCSE). receiving this money means he will have a an ample time finishing his education. I am planning to use my first transfer to make an up front payment of his fees so he can concentrate on education. With the remaining amount, I intend to purchase a dairy cow which we will rely as a source of income for our household needs.
Upon receiving the second transfer, I am planning to buy a water generator so as to venture into advanced agribusiness. I am going to irrigate my farm and plant perennial crops that will give me returns almost thrice a year.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am a subsistence farmer. Every day I set out early in the morning to weed my maize farm. I would come out in the afternoon to prepare lunch for the family, eat and have a rest before going back to the farm in the evening. Since the afternoon is the only time to re-energize, this is the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
In this community, maize and livestock play an enormous role in the lives of every family. For example, livestock is a form of savings which we rely on to make income for the family. However, we have always be faced by a rife drought throughout the year resulting in starvation. Therefore when these animals die it is worry for us because it means malnutrition, school drop outs and hunger because we do not have an alternative source of income.
