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.
Learn more about how recipients opt in to share their stories.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly does well in giving transfers to the needy in our society. Through the transfers, people lives have been positively touched. As a result, our lives are no.longer the same. Personally, I am contented with the mode of operation of GiveDirecly since I have never observed what GiveDirectly does not do right.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used my second transfer to boost my shop business. I have been running a shop which in the past was not doing well due to insufficient capital to boost my stock. Since I boosted it, I have noticed some positive changes. In the past there was no noticeable changes because I could hardly sell even KES 300 in the business. I am glad that in that past 20 days, I have been saving up to KES 300 daily. I looking forward to a day it she be generating up to a profit of KES 500.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($27 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I felt overjoyed. This was the time I was at my lowest. My shop had very few products to sell and all I thought of was to shut it down. So, these funds gave me new hope. I restocked my shop and now it's up and running.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Before receiving the funds, I was not making much from my shop. Due to the constant disappointment of not finding their desired products, my customers stopped visiting my shop. So, even with the little stock I had, no one would come in to buy. But after restocking my shop using the funds from the transfer, my operations are back to normal and my profits have improved by 100%.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I work as a shopkeeper, before I started receiving the funds from give directly, my business was on the verge of collapse. I lacked most commodities so I lost most of my clients to my competitors. So, the moment I received my first transfer of 3000, I invested it all in my business. I restocked the shop and gradually, I started reclaiming my customers.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
When I finished high school in 2017, my parents did not have enough money to take me to college. My mother decided to open for me a retail shop in one of our buildings at the market center. For the business to continue growing, I would have to add more stock to increase sales but lack of money has not made it possible. These transfers are going to help my dream come true because I will be using them to add stocks every month.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Being in good health and seeing my business running smoothly amidst all the challenges has brought me joy and happiness.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Many people in my village depended on subsistence farming, but due to the prolonged drought, things have changed. Without the farm produce my business cannot do as well as before because people used to sell the farm produce to buy some items from my shop. If the situation continues I might end up shutting down the business.
