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
53200 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?
My life is different than how it would have been if I never received the transfers in that I have started a Barber shop. I used to do a casual jobs in the village and sometimes to get this jobs is so hard. The daily wages is KES 300. This was not enough to meet all the basic needs of the family including paying school fees. I had no extra money to save. I had always wished to own a business before but I didn't had the money. When I received the second transfer I bought eight iron sheets, I was able to build a barber shop at home. Barber shop. I bought the hair cut machine, hair comb, scissors, battery and Sola panel. Currently I am running a small barber shop at home. My target customers are the school going children and even the parents. I also charge phones. I am able to take home KES 350 per day. I have stopped the casual jobs and devote all my time on my business. I am in a position to save some money which was not possible before. I can manage my work well without being follow up with much pressure. My family is able to get all the basic needs and I pay the school fees in time. GiveDirectly has changed my living standard. I have peace of mind now to invest on this amazing business and even open other branches across.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my own opinion GiveDirectly does well by giving money to the poor in the community to build better houses and to start businesses. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of the money I received from GiveDirectly on purchasing eight irons sheets and build a small barber shop. I bought electric clipper, scissors, hair cut machine, battery and Sola system. This enabled me to start a barber shop business. Finally I spent the last 27,000 to purchased a heifer. I will get milk when it reproduced in the next few months. I will be able to cut the daily cost of buying milk. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has changed my living standard.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($509 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I received the good news when I was at the farm, I was very excited and happy, I called my wife to inform her of the good news and she was equally overwhelmed with joy, it was the best news that we had received that early morning, it was indeed a blessed day that I will not forget in a hurry.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My life is different now because I planted beans on a 2-acre piece of land, which I am hopeful that in 3 months it will be ready for harvesting, I believe that I will earn an income out of it and at the same time my children will also have sufficient food, The heifer that I bought will also supply us an adequate surplus of milk, all this is possible because of the transfer that I had received from GiveDirectly, unlike before where I did not have a reliable source of income because I used to depend on a casual job to earn a living but it was not guaranteed. I am grateful for the support that I got from GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of the money that I received from GiveDirectly on farming which is my source of livelihood, therefore, I planted 2 acres of beans, thereafter I bought a cow which I am hopeful that in future I will have enough milk for my children, the remaining amount I used it in buying food and clothes for my children.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Self-independence has always been my aspiration but lack of capital to initiate my own business has made this dream hard to achieve. I do casual jobs that entail cultivating people's lands, and these jobs are never reliable. Receiving this money will therefore enable me to start up a Barbershop business within the locality. This in total will cost me $200. Our school-going children in this area usually walk for 3.5 kilometers to a town nearby to get their hair shaved due to scarcity of these services, hence I see fortune in this business. I will also use $200 as capital to set up a tailoring shop for my wife who is a trained tailor and only needs resources, to enable her fulfill her daily wish of financial independence.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I usually begin my day with worries on where to get a job that will enable me to feed my family at the end of the day. Whenever I manage to secure work to do, toiling hard in people's farms under the scorching sun is usually tedious but my heart is always lit in the evening when I receive my day's wages.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of a reliable source of income is the biggest challenge I face. I am a casual laborer earning $3 daily and this money is barely enough to support the needs of my family of five. We always end up spending all the amount on food. I have one acre piece of land which I usually cultivate but prolonged drought in this region as well as pests and diseases always results to poor harvests. Self employment is my aspiration but lack of capital to initiate a business won't let me thrive.
