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 ($467 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?
Staring a poultry keeping project is the new goal that I did not had before receiving the transfer. I had so many things that needed my attention and money. When I received the transfer from GiveDirectly I found it worth to invest on this amazing project. It's a source of income since I sell eggs. I am so grateful and I hope to improve this and make it one of the best projects.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly does well by giving money to the poor in the community without any discrimination. The process is fair and the field officers are very kind. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 20,000 to pay school fees for my daughter who is in secondary school. I am grateful because she had time to study well without being disturbed like before. Her performance improved compared to previous results. I invested KES 15,000 on staring a poultry keeping project, build a poultry house and bought 20 hens. This project earns me an income through the sales of eggs. I hope to improve this and make the project my main source of income. I spent KES 12,000 to purchase a heifer. This is an investment because I will get milk when it reproduce in the future. The rest of the money I bought food and clothes for my children. I am so grateful because GiveDirectly has improved our living standards.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($510 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I had great joy at that moment I received the transfer. It was the best time of my life seeing such a huge amount in my account. I was so grateful, felt really blessed by the promise that was finally coming to pass. I am still happy with the results after putting it into use as it has changed a lot that I never expected.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
It has been a rough struggle meeting timelines in paying school fees for all my three children who are still schooling. Having cleared it now is the biggest difference in my life since it has given me a chance to work on other projects alongside the new just completed house. Such peace of mind has never been before and currently, our focus as a household on other projects is working best for us.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After the new construction, I was doing in my household, I spent part of the transfer in obtaining a piece of new furniture with cushions. I needed this since the living room was literally empty when I received the transfer, and even though I never filled it with seats, I am happy that some spaces are well covered. I also spent 8000KES in farm tools and pieces of equipment, 25000KES on paying school fees for my three children, bought them new clothing, and finally obtained enough foodstuff for the household.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
We are a young family that depends primarily on casual job for survival. To be exact, we rely on my husband's carpentry job to acquire food, raise school fees for our children and accomplish other developmental projects. Unfortunately, the relatively little income that we get is insufficient to suffice all our needs. In that regard, we have been uncertain whether our daughter who is currently in Grade 11 would continue pursuing her studies since carpentry jobs have become scarce. Hence, we are certain that our daughter will have ample time to study and complete her course once we receive this money. Nothing other than educating our children makes us proud as a family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening when we are sharing some meal with my family members. Ensuring that my family is well-fed serves as great achievement for me and my husband. As a housewife, I my day is usually packed with lots of house chores and some farming tasks. By doing so, I offer my husband some ample time to search and handle his carpentry jobs - our main source of livelihood.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Scarcity of carpentry jobs act as the biggest hardship we have faced as a family. Since the outbreak of the infamous Covid-19 pandemic, many carpenters who had been working in towns and places out of our locality have returned home. Also, many people are not building houses, probably due to the negative economic impacts of the pandemic. As such, our income has dramatically decline owing to the current scarcity of the carpentry jobs. We are currently struggling to feed our family, not mentioning acquisition of school fees.
