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
53200 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 depend on dairy farming and it is usually affected by changes in climatic conditions. My family is still growing and as such, my long-term goal is to start a business that will enable me to earn money daily. With this, I will be able to match up with the increase in our daily expenditures and support my children in their education.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did well by sending their officers to educate us about the program and how we can keep our money safe by safeguarding our Mpesa security information. On the other hand, I do not see anything that it did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used to live in a small grass-thatched house that could not accommodate us comfortably. Building a more spacious house was my desire but I had not been able to due to lack of finances. This is because I depend on dairy farming and I usually spend all the amount that I get from the sale of surplus on food. I am happy that my transfer came in handy since I was able to spend KES 20000 to build an iron-roofed house. Also, I spent KES 10000 on the purchase of a solar panel and wet battery for lighting purposes and so that I would not be charging my phone at the shop. On KES 22000 that remained, I spent it on food, utensils, and clothes for my family.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($508 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
On receiving the notification on my phone, I was really excited that I had to run to my neighbor's place to confirm whether she also received the same. It was unfortunate then that she had not received any message yet and even after restarting her phone, we found nothing in there. This forced me to check my account balance and it was true that I had received the first 55000KES. I thanked God for the timely arrival. Before informing any other person, we tried calling GiveDirectly's hotline number to say thank you and inquire whether my neighbor's transfer was yet to hit her account. We were advised to be patient and it never took even 10 mins before a message on her phone confirmed the receipt too.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the complete construction of a new house that we have moved into now. It has been uncomfortable for my family living in the small kitchen which served both as a living room and a kitchen. Currently, we have enough space, a clean room to sleep in, and at least an extra one for the visitors whenever they visit.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After receiving the transfer, I spent a huge portion on the construction of a new house. I bought 24 iron sheets, building posts, and timber and also paid the labor cost during construction. I also spent the remaining 20000KES amount on the heifer, and a sheep purchase that I am currently rearing with the hope of seeing them multiply in the future.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Growing up I was fascinated with cooking and wanted to be a professional chef. My parents could not send me to college because of financial difficulties which led me to getting married immediately after my high school education. Getting this money will mean a lot to my family because we can use our first transfer to build the main house and use our current house as a kitchen. This will enable me to have more space in cooking and learn new recipes which I can use to start my own food vending business within the village later on.
What is the happiest part of your day?
On my usual day I wake up at 7 prepare breakfast for my 1 year old son then do some cleaning then go herding, I am responsible for looking after my mother's livestock because she is old until evening. I am mostly happy in the morning when I wake up knowing my day will be fruitful.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My biggest financial hardship has been financial constraints, my husband works as a security guard and earns an income of $80 per month, this alone can not sustain our basic needs such as food and clothing. Unlike most villagers my family has a small piece of land that is barren and we don't get good yields from it.
