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.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I am still maintaining my initial goal of building a house. This is my major priority because living in a mud hut is not safe for me and my family. I believe that as a recipient of GiveDirectly cash transfer, I should have something to show long after this program has ended.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly has done what I have never seen since I was born and got to know myself. Changing our lives, empowering us by sending cash transfer is much more than one could ever ask for. I don't know of anything they don't do well. For me I will sag nothing.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have already bought zinc with my previous two transfers so I'm planning on buying the wood and other materials like nails aswell as payment for those doing the job.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
42500 LRD ($276 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I have been living in a papo or thatch house since I was born. When I received my first transfer, I decided to build a new house. Therefore, I bought two bundles of zinc with my first transfer. I also used portion of my second transfer to purchase another boundlle of zinc.
I have nine living children. Seven of them are school going children but I couldn't afford to send five of them to school until I received my second transfer.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Givedirectly did extremely well for me through the cash transfer.The transfer helped me to buy some building materials for my project. This money also helped me to send my five children to school.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my recent transfer to buy zinc and pay school fees.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
40375 LRD ($264 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
Me and my wife were overwhelmed when our money arrived. It made me feel extremely empowered. As the farmer that I am, where could I have gotten that sun of money from? I was extremely happy when I counted the money piece by piece and realized that the amount was intact.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I have been farming all my life until I'm 49 years old now, yet, nothing significant to show. With GiveDirectly payments, I will own a zinc house in a few months time, that's a big difference. My children go to farm with me because there's no money for their schooling; now they will be enrolled in school to acquire formal education. That's complete change in my life and family.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I intend to build a house with portion of my transfer and use the rest to send my children to school. The thatch house is difficult to live in, you have to repair it every now and then. With this transfer, at least I will be relaxed living in a zinc house and not be worried about going to the bush to cut thatch every other time.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Depending on the sale of rice produced on a yearly basis to pay me children school fees has a difficult situation that my wife and have faced over the years . My wife and have many children form which four are depending on me for food and schoolling and all of reside in this delapetated structure because of of no means of accumulating finance. With the opportunity from GiveDirectly to receive unconditional cash transfer,I will be able to pay school fees and construct a modern house with zinc roofing.
What is the happiest part of your day?
When my farm produce a good harvest where I am able to sell some produces to buy our needs and pay fees for our children, I am too joyful that season and that's what my wife and I always prayed for while having our subsistence farming.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
For a father of 9 children of whom five are away in search of quality education to dwell in this delapetated structure where rain always dropped through the leakages during rainy season is a disgrace and shame. I am not able to pay school fees for our four children who dwell with is presently because of lack of money to send them to school couple with other personal problem are the challenges I am facing as of present.
