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
55000 KES ($482 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?
Purchasing goats is the new goal that I didn't have before receiving the transfer. When I received the transfer I found out that it's worth investing in a project with a higher rate of return. Goats reproduce faster. I have devoted much of my time to this amazing project.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
The registration process was perfectly done well and everyone who was enrolled received the transfer and spent it well. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent f KES 35,000 to purchase ten goats. This project is the best investment since goats reproduce twice per year and help during an emergency. I wanted to do this in remembrance of the GiveDirectly transfer. I hope to sell them in the future When they would have multiplied to buy a dairy cow. I purchased a wire and poles to fence my farm. This is to prevent cows and goats from destroying my crops. The rest of the money I spent on food and saved some amount in the merry-go-round group that we started in our village. I am so grateful because GiveDirectly has improved my living standard. We have hope for a better tomorrow. Were it not GiveDirectly all this could not have happened.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($485 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was at home relaxing while catching up with one of my sons when I received a message notification. I requested him to help me read it since am illiterate and can't read some of the things. My heart was filled with joy when he informed me about the good news and immediately requested my helper to accompany me so that we would cash it out.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My life has changed when I compare it with how I was before receiving the transfer. This is because I have been able to fence my farm and partition the feeding area for my livestock. Because of this, I am happy that my livestock will have enough feeds and my crops will no longer get destroyed any time.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My major concern when I received my transfer was an investment so that I can continue enjoying the fruits of GiveDirectly even when they're long gone. Due to this, I decided to purchase a dairy cow worth KES 30000 using the transfer and also KES 12000 to buy barbed wire and poles to use in fencing my farm. I will be using money from the sale of milk to meet our daily needs. Also, I saved 2000 in our merry-go-round group, and using the remaining amount, I bought some foodstuffs to last my family for some time.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means better housing for my family. Currently, we are living in a big mud house. Due to rains, it needs to be smeared every week which is very tiresome and time-consuming. The smearing material(soil) has to be taken from down in the stream very far from my house. My wife who does this work is getting old, she gets sick every time she goes down there. With this money, I plan to cement my house so it would be easier to clean. It will cost me KES 50,000. For the rest of the amount, I plan to purchase dairy cows as a way of increasing income-generating activities.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Two months ago, my cow called giving birth to a calf. I milk up to 10 liters of milk. Selling this milk gives me income that I can use to meet my family's needs including food. It made me very happy since I had waited for the cow to give birth. This also means I now have three cows on my farm which is an increase in the assets I own.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of finances is the main challenge. We are farmers depending on farm produce to earn a living. Farming here is seasonal due to poor rains. Sometimes it floods or there are prolonged droughts. This affects farming. I farm vegetable nurseries and sell the seedlings. It is demanding and needs a constant water supply. During dry seasons, we do not get to sell any seedlings or we are forced to look for water to irrigate which is tiresome since our source of water is far.
