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 ($485 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I no longer worry about buying milk daily because I own a cow that is producing enough milk for us, I am also left with some to sell, My business has also empowered me has a woman instead of depending on one source of income, I can proudly say that my life is different now because my living standards changed to a better one, We are grateful that GiveDirectly has impacted our lives positively,
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly staffs are polite and nice, throughout my interaction with them I did not see anything that was not done correctly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My husband is a cobbler, in the nearest shopping center, he makes very little from his business, therefore, buying milk daily for our children was costly, we taught of buying a cow before but we could not raise enough money due to our little income and other basic needs, When the transfer came, this was on top of my list, I used KES 35,000 in buying a dairy cow, I also used the remaining part of the transfer in starting a small business of selling milk.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($502 USD)
access_time almost 4 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
My co wife received her transfer and she called me to find out if I had received mine. Upon reaching her house, it was four of us and we decided to wait under a tree to see if our transfers would also receive ours. I waited and was giving up and I decided to go back home. On my way back, my phone beeped and it was the transfer message and I shouted in happiness and rushed back to tell my co wife and friends.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference is that I was able to buy two bags of maize unlike before when the most I could buy was ten kilograms. I bought my seats about 10 years ago and I had not been able to buy cushions for my seats but thanks to GiveDirectly I have bought the cushions and I can sit on now comfortable seats. The new house that we are about to complete will be warmer as compared to the current one which has been leaking from the floor.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We bought cushions for our seats, clothes for our children and bought two bags of maize. We now want to move our house and build a better one since water oozes from the ground in the current place we stay. I also shopped personal requirements for my school going children.
Enrolled
access_time almost 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Since my husband and I do not have the necessary skills for securing well-paying jobs, receiving this money means that our family shall have more income, especially for educating our children. I will utilize the money on purchasing a cow for milk production. Also, I will boost my business of trading on milk. My eldest son is joining secondary school, and an increase in our income will enable us to raise the required fees on time.
What is the happiest part of your day?
As a business lady trading on milk, I usually traverse our village in the morning collecting the resource that I would later sell to within my homestead. Thus, the happiest part of my day is in the evening when I am closing my day with some profits. This means that we shall be able to fund our developmental projects as well as meeting other basic needs as a family.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
We live and do crop farming on 0.7 acres of land that I inherited from my parents. As such, the inadequacy of tillable land forces us to lead a substandard lifestyle. Specifically, we usually realize low yields that could hardly sustain us yet we rely solely on subsistence farming. Also, the lack of space does not allow us to diversify our farming activities. Hence, the biggest hardship we have faced in life is the inadequacy of arable land.
