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 ($492 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Now I have a water tank which I didn't have before. I got rough space to store harvested rain water which can sustain us for months. I would still be struggling with fetching water for use at home from a nearby river. This was time consuming and tiresome. I thank GiveDirectly for the transfers which has change our lives.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly did very well by giving out equal amounts of transfers to every household. For what it wasn't done well I believe it is not with GiveDirectly since they deere so transparent and no case of corruption was noticed in our area.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My second transfers, I spent KES 16000 on buying a water tank for storing water. I then spent KES 5000 on buying water pipes for connecting piped water to our compound. I spent another KES 15000 on buying shoes and clothes for each of my family members. I bought some maize for consumption at a cost of KES 8000. The remaining amount, I spent on buying some furniture.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($494 USD)
access_time almost 4 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was preparing breakfast in the kitchen when I heard my phone ring and I knew it was a message. I went to pick it from the table where I had left it and upon checking the message, it was GiveDirectly transfer,. I jumped up an down with excitement, woke up m children and we all celebrated together.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My son used to sleep at his grandmother's since I could not afford to build him a house. From the transfer, I built him a house and he looks more confident out there right now since according to Kalenjin culture, a young man after initiation is supposed to have his own house and not sleeping with their parents.
Our house is looking well furnished since I bought the sofa set and I now have the confidence to welcome visitors to my house.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I built a house for my son and furnished my own house with a 3-seater sofa set. I also bought 2 bags of maize for use s food in my family.
Enrolled
access_time 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
We have been aspiring to build a house for my 3 growing boys. In our society, it is unacceptable for grown up boys to live under one roof with their parents. In case we are lucky to get the transfer, our ambition is to use Kenya Shillings 20,000 to finish the whole construction work. The remaining transfer, we will use to buy food and improve our house by buying furniture.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My normal day entails going to work in our 1 acre piece of land early in the morning where we have grown maize. This will take us until around 3 pm then embark on my routine household chores such washing clothes, cleaning dishes, among others before fetching water and firewood in the evening. After the days activities, I feel most relax in the evening where we all converge in the kitchen as we chat while preparing dinner for the family. Therefore, making my evening my happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
We have been experiencing prolonged drought and poor climate in our region making it the biggest hardship we have faced in life. Owing to that, we have been unable to harvest sufficient food (maize) in our 1 acre piece of land. The more we can harvest is only 3 bags of maize which is hardly enough to cater a family of 7. Our future plan therefore, is to venture into dairy farming and help supplement from what my husband earn.
