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
55000 KES ($482 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?
The new goal that I have in life is to increase the size of land under cultivation which will, in turn, lead to an increase in my farm produce. By doing so, I will be able to set aside some of the produce for our consumption and sell the other portion and use the money to support my grandson in his education. Since my land is small, I am planning to rent at least an acre in our neighboring county where maize production is high.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly did well in sending cash transfers directly to the enrolled households in the village and making it unconditional. By doing so, we were able to achieve our goals depending on our priorities.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I bought 22 pieces of iron sheets at KES 16500 that I am planning to use in building a more spacious house for my family and spent KES 3000 on food for the family. In addition, I spent KES 10000 to pay school fees for my grandson who had been sent back home since he is under my care and I still have KES 23000 that I am planning to commence the construction process after acquiring the remaining building materials. use in building a house for my family. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for enabling me to achieve all this within a short time something that would have taken me a long time to achieve on my own since I depend on subsistence farming.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($484 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was 10am, I was looking after my cows. When I heard a ringtone message from my phone. When I checked it out I couldn't believe my eyes. It was a message confirming that I have received money from GiveDirectly. I felt so happy because I have never received such amount of money before. I felt so happy. My spouse went to withdrew the money. I knew I would be able to buy building materials and build a better house I live in a small house with could not host all my family members comfortably. I am so grateful for the support.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I have started building a better and spacious house for my family. I used to live in a small grass thatched house which was almost leaking from inside. I depend on small scale farming and causal jobs in the village. This was earning me small income which I use it on other basic household items. Whener I have visitors at home I could not host all of them in the house. This was so demoralizing and stressful. Currently I have a decent house. I no longer get shy to welcome victors into our house. I'm so happy because GiveDirectly came trained us and sent us the money. I sleep well because I have good house.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 12,000 to purchase a heifer. I will cut the daily cost of buying milk when it reproduce. I will save the money that I could have used to buy milk on other household items. I bought building materials and build a small kitchen house.. This I's where cooking will be done. I had always wished to own a dairy cow but I didn't had the cash.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money would mean a new hope for our family in my old age. We have been through a lot of suffering and struggle in poverty from the time I started my family 40 years ago. I actually had given up totally on having a better house ever in my life. In my age I have not known how it feels like living in a iron-sheet roofed house because all my life I have been in a grass thatched house. Such a roof needs repairing almost every month and I no longer have the energy to climb up and do it. I sincerely thank Give Directly for these transfers, we shall build a better house and buy a water tank to harvest rainwater for our use.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I and my wife have now grown old and all our children have started their own households elsewhere so we mostly spend the day looking after our livestock and the happiest part is usually in the morning when we get the cows out to graze as we come out to busk in the morning sun.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Having to live in this house has been the biggest challenge. It is now an old house and it constantly needs repairing which I don't have the energy to do. When I don't do the repairs and it rains the house becomes very cold which affects our health.
