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 ($493 USD)
access_time almost 3 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 because I managed to renovate my house by adding two rooms. Initially, it was single-roomed and its condition was not good. Therefore after receiving the money I had to prioritize it since it has been my long-time dream. My life members have been seeking shelter from friends for years which was so frustrating. Also, there was no privacy at all and at times it was very embarrassing. I now have peace of mind as a parent and I no longer have to worry bout any calamity. Also, the pair of oxen have been of great help too and I now able to prepare my farm in good time unlike before whereby I only depended on my two hands where I could harvest low yields.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectlly does well in all the villages in my entire location. It has made a great impact, which is evident since most of us now have different kinds of assets such as livestock and nice houses. Also, we managed to send our children to school who had opted to drop due to the huge fees balances. GiveDirectly has really improved our living standards and therefore I do not see any part GiveDirectly failed us.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part f my second transfer on buying building materials such as iron sheets, building poles, nails, and timber. This was fr the additional two rooms to my initial house which had a single room. Also, I paid the mason KES 2000 as his labor charge. To add to that, I bought two goats at KES 6000 and they are now the living assets that I can rely upon. Also, I bought new clothes for my children and I to replace the old torn ones. With the remaining amount of money, I bought foodstuffs for the family
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($494 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 7 am when I heard my phone vibrating so loudly. I quickly checked to confirm who could it be. After checking I realized it was an Mpesa message from GD. They had blessed me with the first transfer as they had promised. I felt so happy and started planning on how best I would utilize it.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I am now a proud owner of a pair of oxen. With the pair, they will help me in ploughing my farm and this means the level of food production shall also increase compared to when I used to till my fam by myself in the previous years. I will also hire them for my neighbors at a fee which will earn me money that will help me in settling my family needs. I will also save money for my children's future studies.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Since I have been yearning to own livestock, I spent a larger portion of my first transfer on buying a pair of oxen and goats. I opted to buy them because I knew I would benefit a lot. I also bought a new mattress and some decent clothes for my children. I spent the remaining amount of money to buy food and a few household items
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My desire has been to start a small shop business in my village so that I could have a sustainable source of income to support my family. Receiving this money mean accomplishment of my dreams since I am planning to invest $ 250 in constructing the structure and purchase stock for my shop. In addition, I will spend the remaining amount of my first transfer to expand my business of growing and selling of vegetables around the village. I be able to earn at least 2 dollars per day something that will change our lives for the better.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I spend my mornings weeding my vegetables and harvest some which I will be vending in the afternoon. It is only in the evening that I get time to relax and share common meal together with my extended family. My father usually narrates stories which makes us laugh a lot. Therefore, I consider evening as my happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Failure to meet my inner desire of having a reliable source of income due to financial instability has been my biggest hardship in my life. This has forced me to resort in a temporary job of growing and selling of vegetables. The income from my job is utmost 1 dollar per day which is hardly enough to support my family's basic like food and saving.
