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.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($458 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My new goal is to be able to start a small business of going out into market places. The money that I received was just enough to pay school fees and buy livestock
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly did very well by giving everyone money unconditionally.This meant that everyone was empowered to do their own things their own way
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used my second transfer to pay school fees of Kes 15000 and used another 35000 to buy a dairy cow and built a new house for my son.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($486 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 message from GiveDirectly that confirmed the receipt of the first transfer, I was very happy. This came as an affirmation that the school fees challenges and the cost of milk I had been buying for a long time were finally sorted. At that moment I had already laid down plans to settle school fees and pay all the debts I had in school for my children, and to also obtain a dairy cow that can provide us with milk thus cutting the huge spending that I had been struggling with every day.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is the milk production I am currently enjoying after buying a lactating cow that even though was expensive, I managed to dedicate KES38000 to it that I feel was worth it. It is currently producing some liters barely enough for my family of seven but the good news is that it is expectant giving us hope to produce enough milk soon both for domestic use and surplus to sell and raise school fees. I had been working on the casual labor that paid less, and the availability was not consistent as well. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for giving me another chance to invest differently with the hope of reaping better.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After scouting all the markets around and the potential sellers within the village, I realized that I had to spend a little bit higher than what I expected to obtain a good breed of a dairy cow. I needed an instant solution to the challenge we had and I finally paid KES38000 for one that met all the expectations I had. I am happy now that the cost of buying milk is no more for my family of seven, and instead, I am using the saved amount to provide for other household needs. I also settled a debt of KES15000 in school to allow my children to read freely without being sent home anymore as it had been the case. With the remaining amount, I decided to spend on household foodstuff especially food since our farms have not been productive in the past few years and we had been dependent on the sold maize for food. I a grateful to GiveDirectly for all that has transpired since I received the transfer, and I am looking forward to the second transfer.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Our main house is very old and when there is rainfall, water seeps from the floor creating an unsafe living condition. There is a bad smell that is emitted from the wet surface which poses a health risk to all of us. Receiving this money means that I will be able to construct a house, cement it and pay for labor costs all amounting to KES 40000. By doing this my family and I will stay safe and live in peace. I also intend to use the remaining amount of the transfer to buy one dairy cattle and clear school fees arrears for my children.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Since I am a casual laborer, my usual job is to work on my neighbor's farms. I have been getting lots of casual jobs for the past six months since it has been planting season. Every neighbor calls or reaches out to me and as a result, I receive more pay.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My husband and I depend on casual jobs to fend for our family. We usually get hired to do farming activities on our neighbor's farms within the village. The little we get is insufficient to cater for all our basic needs more so housing. Because of this, we are unable to build a nice house and as result live in an old one that water seeps during heavy rainfall. The conditions created by this sipping water is unsafe and poses serious health issues to all my family members.
