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 ($493 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?
My life is different than how it would have been if I never received the transfers in that I have bought a heifer. I always buy milk daily from my neighbor and this is so costly for me. I do not have a continuous source of income to enable me to buy a dairy cow. I depend on casual jobs in the village and sometimes to get this jobs is so hard. The small amount of money that I get through this casual jobs icannot meet all the basic needs of the family. When my dairy cow reproduce I will no longer buy milk. I will cut the daily cost of buying milk and be in position to save some money to pay school fees for my children. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has enabled us to own assets which could have taken quite some time to get it.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly does well by giving money to the poor in the community to build better houses and to buy dairy cows. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well .
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spend the money I received from GiveDirectly to fence my farm
This is to prevent the neighbor's cows from destroying my crops. I also spend part of the money to buy clothes and food for my family. Finally I bought a heifer. I always buy milk daily and this is so costly for me. When they heifer reproduce I will nlcut the cost of buying milk daily. I am so grateful for the support because GiveDirectly has improved our living standard.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($494 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was very excited that on that morning that we had a very heavy breakfast, I prepared mandazis and tea. I showed my mother the message and she was so happy that our dreams of owning a cow were going to come true.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Buying milk has been very strenuous for me since I am the breadwinner in my family. With the GiveDirectly transfers, I have bought a cow which is about to calf and in no time, I will be milking my own cow and this will reduce the burden of buying milk. I was able to plough land and plant maize on the piece of land that I fenced using the transfer. I am optimistic of a good harvest since no stray cows will eat my produce since my shamba is now well fenced. We have also been able to eat well everyday since we used to skip meals or even go without meals before we received the transfer. My children can also boast of having beautiful clothes as they used to wear rugged ones before I bought them new ones from the transfer I received. Thank you GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I had to fence out my compound by buying fencing posts and a barbed wire since every time I plant maize, my neighbour's cows could stray easily and graze on my maize which reduced my produce. I also bought a cow which is about to calf and this way, I will be able to milk my own cow and no longer buy milk as before which was very strenuous. I bought food for my family and beautiful clothes for my children.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I live in a single-roomed house together with my brother who is married and they have 2 children. I also have 3 children and we all spend the night in the very same house. I have a desire to build a house that can comfortably accommodate us all because the current one is too small. I plan to buy 44 pieces of iron sheets at 500 shillings per piece. That will cost a total of 22000 shillings. I also have plans to acquire 60 pieces of roofing frames. Each piece costs 300 shillings, which translates to 18000 shillings. Receiving this money will mean the world to us as it will change the face of our both families.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am always happy in the afternoon because it is at this time that I take some rest from the hard day's work. In the morning I am always on the farm, an exercise that is energy-draining. I derive happiness from the long rests that I get to enjoy in the afternoon.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I sleep in the same house as my brother who has a family of his own. I also have grown children who spend the night with us. Culturally this is completely unacceptable. We are constantly subjected to a lot of mocking from a section of neighbors and this is lowering our self-esteem. My brother cannot hang out with his peers because of the fear of being ridiculed and humiliated. We are treated as outcasts who are contravening the norms of the community. All we do for now is to keep hope alive and trust that one day our circumstances will be behind us.
