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 ($417 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My dream would be to purchase a dairy cow so that I can have milk for my consumption and also boost my income. I don't have the money right now, but I'm trusting God to provide. I am so grateful for the opportunity to improve the living situation that was given to us.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly's help has financially empowered us without discrimination. Both the young and the old were treated with a high level of professionalism. Because they visited each household, the enrollment stages were transparent. So far, in my interactions with the staff, I have not come across anything that was not done properly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The money I received from GiveDirectly was the best gift I had ever received. I am a widow and the mother of five independent children, I now live with my two grandchildren. I rely on milk sales to supplement my income. I had previously begun building a house for my family but was unable to complete it due to financial constraints. As a result, when I received my second transfer, I saw it fit to finish the house renovation, and I used the entire transfer of $530. I am grateful for having accomplished so much in such a short period.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($484 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was at 6a.m.when I opened my phone since I do switch off when sleeping.Immediately I opened,an MPESA message popped up and when I checked it was the cash transfer from Givedirectly.I was happy that I could commence on the plans that I had.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Achieving all the plans that I had written down before receiving the first cash transfer is my biggest difference.I look forward to achieving more with the second transfer.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
With the great plans in mind, my priority was to construct a modern house. I spent Kshs.25,000 in building one since I had a single grass-thatched room. I am happy that I can enjoy a warm house, especially during cold seasons. I spent Ksh.15,000 on purchasing a heifer which is an addition to my livestock and in the future, it can produce milk for sale. I also spent Kshs.6,000 in paying my NHIF card since I have an underlying health issue that needs frequent visits to the hospital. I am thankful that I have been able to cut hospital costs. With the remaining amount, I used to buy food and clothing for my household members.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means better housing for my family. We currently stay in a grass thatched house which is not only small but we cannot harvest any rainwater whenever it rains. We are forced to track for hours to fetch water from the river, which is tiresome and time-consuming. I have always wished I could own a bigger iron-roofed house which can accommodate us and also collect rainwater. I plan to spend KES 35,000 to construct the house. The rest of the amount I will use to purchase a dairy cow which is a great investment for me. This means I will not be purchasing milk for my family and the extra milk I will sell to my neighbors to earn an income.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My cow calved down two months ago. From the sale of milk, I was able to participate in a village support merry-go-round group. Last month it was my turn and I received KES 3000. I took all of it and bought a whole sack of maize. For once it was a relief for me as for the next two months I will not worry about where I will get money to purchase the maize.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Food shortage is the current challenge we are facing. I own a small farm that is too small to cultivate and keep domestic animals. We purchase foodstuff from the market which is very expensive considering we depend on unstable casual jobs to earn an income. I had started a milk business but it failed because of many needs that we have we ended up using the capital hence it went down.
