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 ($467 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I have no new goals so far considering the one I had in mind was accomplished. I was able to renovate my house, it had an old roof that could lead uncontrollably whenever it could rain. We have been seeking shelter from neighbors every winter season. It was so tough and I am grateful that GiveDirectly came in good time..
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly did a great job in the entire village. Every needy house got enrolled and received the money as promised. This empowered us to purchase items that we could not afford like the daily meals, building decent houses, and even owning livestock. I do not see anything that GiveDirectly has not done well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my second transfer on buying some livestock more so eight goats at KES 25000. I had been yearning to own them for quite some time but I could not afford to purchase them because of the financial hardships that I have been through. I have however opted to have them because they reproduce twice a year and mature very fast as compared to the common domestic animals. Also, I clear school fees for my four children who are still in primary school. They have been at home for almost two weeks because of the accumulated arrears. I am so grateful because the organization came at the time I needed their help. With the remaining amount of money, I bought decent clothes for the Christmas celebration and sufficient foodstuffs for my children. This food will take us to the next two months. My children no longer skip meals neither starve as they used to do
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($492 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I felt so happy when I got the money because I had so many things I desired to do but neither had the ability nor support to address the challenges we had been facing as a family. This was majorly because the only source of income was charcoal-burning and selling which hardly raised enough money for food. Therefore, I was very happy the moment I got the money.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
There are lots of improvements in my life, that is the biggest difference I can cite. Before I would spend the whole day cutting down trees to burn charcoal and sell, still I would get a little or no cash at all because no one from around could buy, and when I got to sell, that would only be for food. Right now, however, I addressed most of the challenges I was facing, I repaired the roof of our house, paid my children's school fees, and bought them uniforms too. Still, I kept some cash to be buying us food. All thanks to GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES12000 repairing my husband's motorcycle that had been sidelined with a mechanical problem for far too long which made things more difficult for us. This is because the motorcycle used to help us in fetching water since we have to travel very far to get water and hiring the services of a motorcycle taxi is very expensive and unaffordable to us. Therefore, repairing the motorcycle was a very huge relief to us, as well as an investment because we can offer motorcycle taxi services to other people. I kept aside KES25000 to buy some goats when the current drought and famine subsides because it is very risky to keep livestock in this state of the climate and I would not want to throw away my investment.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have five children and with my tiny house of one room, we are not comfortable enough. Receiving this money will help me build a two roomed house which will ensure we fit in well and also have some privacy since my children are growing fast. The house will cost me approximately Ksh 30,000. I also plan to use Ksh. 25,000 to buy 10 goats. Goat rearing will serve as a good income for me especially in days to come when they multiply.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening. This is when I relax around my compound after a busy day. Activities like fetching water far away and preparing charcoal for sale can be very tiresome. Evening comes as a relief for me.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
In my life, I have been through financial struggles all along. This is because I depend on crop and livestock farming which highly depends on the climatic conditions. With the dry climate in our region, it has been difficult for me to get a constant source of income. I have five children and satisfying all their needs especially food has been an uphill task. Financial struggles is therefore the biggest hardship that I have faced in my life.