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 ($429 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My short-term goal is to add more stock to my business, add cows and sell them at the market. The business has profits that can help me pay school fees for my children without strain.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
It is good to see the faces behind the voices on call. I enjoy getting visits from GiveDirectly and they are always welcome to my home.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Before receiving the transfer, I was helping out my brother transport livestock to the market. In a week, I would get $15. I live in a one-roomed grass house with my family, I am the breadwinner of the family, and my wife is a stay-at-home mum. The money from my brother's business helps me buy food for the family and little is left for school fees. Most days the children are sent away from school and I am forced to borrow money from my mother. Receiving this transfer has enabled me to build a two-roomed house that is built with iron sheets that cost $300, and started a chicken business that cost me $200, I buy at wholesale price and sell at a profit. The business is doing great and I am grateful.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($475 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 around 9 am and I was at home preparing myself to go out when I heard my phone ringing notifying me of a new message. I stopped to check it since I had earlier heard my brother saying that the transfer had been sent. We were hence eagerly waiting for it. When I opened the SMS, I could not believe my eyes when I saw that I had received KES 55000 from GiveDirectly. I was so happy that I canceled the plan that I had of going out. I immediately told my wife about it and she was so happy too. We thanked God for it since we now knew that we were going to fulfill the plans that we had made.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The transfer has brought a very big difference into our lives as a family. This is because our living standards have improved and we are no longer like before. The children are happy because they have new clothes for themselves and also because we now have a bigger house that can accommodate all of us. I also managed to till my land and plant, something I never thought I would be able to achieve soon since I didn't have the money.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When we got our recent transfer, we first took out KES 7000 that we used in buying clothes for ourselves and the children. Our children were lacking better clothes since the ones that they had, had grown old and worn out. The following day is when we went and bought the building materials. We wanted to construct another house. The houses that we were living in were small and grass-thatched. The space was thus no longer enough to accommodate our already grown family of seven. There was also leakage on the roofs of the houses when it rains. It was always our wish to build another bigger house that is iron-roofed but due to financial constraints, we have not been in a position to. The construction of the new house costed us a total of approximately KES 38000. With the remaining transfer amount, we used it on tilling our land and planting maize. We also used some on paying school fees for our children who are in primary school. We are thus so much thankful to GiveDirectly for their big help.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have been married for fifteen years and have raised my five children in my two tiny grass-thatched houses that have stood for all those years but now they are old. Responsibilities caught up with me early in life before I could own any investment or construct a bigger house. As my children grow and the family became bigger, the houses became uncomfortable, and small for all of us to live in. My son is forced to sleep at his friend's house or neighbors which makes me sad and uncomfortable as a parent. I plan to use KES 30,000 to construct a two-roomed house which will act as the sitting room and bedroom. Receiving this money, therefore, a better living. For the rest of the amount, I plan to buy goats as an investment that will help me in the future to pay school fees for my children.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The only goat I had, gave birth two weeks ago and it made me happy. This is the start of a journey I have been wanting to start. A friend had given me KES 3000 and I decided to compromise and purchase the goat and I can see the fruits.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The main challenge is food insecurity. We live in semi-dry areas that experience very low rainfall yearly. We depend on drought-resistant crops meaning we rarely have alternatives as food. We also purchase food costing is up to KES 5000 a month. This strains me a lot as I am the sole provider. I'm a broker, broking sale of cows, we only have one market day per week which I can get KES 1000. This is a lot less compared to the responsibilities I have which make me strain a lot.
