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 ($516 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life has changed to some extent because I never had a decent house before the organization came to our village but today, I am glad I have this two bedroomed house which comfortably accommodates all the members of the family. Were it not for the cash transfers, then I would have still been living in that small old house where I used to live in the past.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
I would say that a number of people have managed to transform their lives by getting some of the things which they never had ion their lives which includes buying livestock and building new houses.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
There are a number of things which I got underway using the cash that I received from the organization, one of them being the payment of school fees for my kids as well as buying them new clothes because I noticed that their drawer was full of old, ragged clothes. I also paid a debt worth Kes 10000. Finally, I bought one goat and still managed to save Kes 30000.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($539 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
I had begun constructing a new house to live in with my family, for the one I was living in previously was small and could not accommodate us all. I was not able to complete the roofing since the materials got depleted in the process. The transfer enabled me to buy the remaining materials which include iron sheets and my new spacious house is now complete. It would have taken me much longer to finish the construction were it not for the financial support from GiveDirectly, which makes it be the biggest difference in my daily life.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I saw the notification early in the morning and on checking to confirm, it was from GiveDirectly notifying me that I had finally received the first transfer that I had been anxiously waiting for. I felt happy that morning and rejoiced together with my family as we planned on how best we could spend the transfer to improve our living standard.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
Before the coming of GiveDirectly, I had begun constructing a new house to shelter. However, the materials got depleted in the process and I could not finish its roofing. It was expensive for me to purchase the remaining materials. Through the transfer, I was able to buy adequate roofing materials which include iron sheets and nails for the completion of my new house. In addition to the materials, I also bought three goats to keep in my homestead. I am expecting them to reproduce and increase in number which I will be able to sell to meet my future financial needs. Apart from this, I also paid for my children's school fees for them to stay comfortably in school without any interruptions concerning school fees. I spent the remaining amount to buy daily foodstuffs for my family and meeting other household expenses.
Enrolled
access_time 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Having a business of my own has always been my desire. Currently, I am employed as a butcher at a local shopping center, and the business is not doing well at all. The owner is demotivated due to low sales arising from lack of a stable market here. In most cases, am being unable to provide basic needs for the family due to poor pay. Once I receive my transfers, I will venture into a more suitable place where I can set up a butchery. And with the skills that I gained while working here, am pretty sure that it's going to be a success. For the rest of the transfers, I will purchase oxen and an ox plow. This is because untimely planting has been our greatest undoing, and I want to change that by having the capacity to plough as much land as possible with my oxen.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is the evening. This is the time I'm less busy, unlike the rest of the day. My day normally starts at six o'clock in the morning, and after having breakfast, I assist my wife with morning duties, especially in taking cattle to the grazing field. Thereafter, I go to the butchery to at least earn an income that can cater for the day's meal. In the evening is when I return home, and it is at this moment when I get to rest and spend quality time with the family.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of a reliable source of income has been the cause of distress and sleepless nights to my family. Most of the time I resort into charcoal burning business as an alternative, something that am unable to keep up with due to my poor health. Five years ago, I was diagnosed with peptic ulcers, a condition I've been unable to fully treat due to lack of adequate finances. This money, therefore, will be an end to my plight. I will engage in a more favorable and reliable business. Skipping meals will be something of the past.
