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 ($468 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?
Yes I do. After having received the transfer and appropriated it, I now have my sights focused on further extending my home. I have two kids, one who is 3 years while the other is 5 months old. I had a one bedroom house before and as you can imagine it was quite cramped. Its currently a 3 bedroom and would love to turn it into a 4 bedroom. Living in Kamongil and raising cattle, which I bought with GDs assistance, being able to have a home that my children can forever call theirs is of great reassurance. GiveDirectly assistance has helped me see that dreams are valid and I believe I will be able to achieve this goal in due time.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Help! Yes, that's the simplest and most honest answer, they help. GiveDirectly has restored my faith in humanity. When their gentle mannered call agents reached out with the programme, it sounded too good to be true. However, GiveDirectly proved trustworthy, punctual in their transfers and keen to follow up and make sure all went smoothly. What they do best is being good humans and an amazing organisation. I'm very thankful.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
The funds I received from GiveDirectly went directly into funding the expansion of my home, as well as buying two cows. As I had mentioned in passing earlier on, the house we live in was previously a 1 bedroom, but thanks to the generous efforts of GiveDirectly I was able to expand it to a 3 bedroom. Kes. 23, 000 and Kes. 24, 000 were used to buy 2 cows, respectively. With the two cows, I can now sell milk and currently have a new stream of income, as a result of their purchase. The assistance GiveDirectly have offered has proven life changing.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($493 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I received a message confirming the receipt of my first transfer when I was at home with my wife. I was very excited knowing that most of the projects that I had been having in mind would be starting as soon as I withdraw the money from my account. We thanked God and informed the other members of the family that we had received the amount we had been expecting as we needed to plan on withdrawal in the next few days before getting down to spending.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference after receiving my first transfer is the purchase of an ox that has so far eased our farming practices. I was lucky to have gotten a neighbor with another pair, and a combination to make two pairs makes work even easier. I am glad that I am not limited by finances that I would have used to hire from the neighbor at the moment but can freely ready my farms and plant right at the onset of rain.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
With the great dependence on farming in our community, being able to till the land, buy certified seeds, plant them, and later harvest has been the greatest happiness we have always had. Even though the process may sound easy, carrying it out from the start to the end demands a lot of inputs. On my side, the greatest challenge had been the cost of cultivation as I have never had the means but always hire from the neighborhood. On receiving the first transfer, I had to obtain a bull at KES25000 that will be paired with the one I had been having to provide the much-needed force at the farm. Oxen to us will not only be beneficial in tilling our pieces of land, but also will be hired out to earn us an extra income. I also invested further in livestock as we had agreed with my spouse to put a larger portion of this money on the projects that will grow to benefit us in the future. I purchased three sheep - one being a ram at KES6500 and two awes both at KES10500. These will be useful in raising school fees for our children in the future, and we can also sell them out to purchase a cow. With the remaining amount, I obtained three chickens at KES1300 and also foodstuff and clothing for my children.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means a better living standard for my family. I have been depending on casual jobs where I earn around 200 KES per day. The amount is not enough to sustain my family. When I receive the transfer, my plan is to purchase a Dairy cow Worth KES 35,000, With the cow am sure I'll get around 10 litter's of milk a day which translates to KES 500 daily hence improving our living standard. I will also buy 10 Goats worth KES 4000 each so that I can sell them in future.This will earn me income so as not to depend in casual jobs only. The remaining amount will go for foodstuffs and clothing's.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of the day is in the evening because I get a chance to rest after my long Day in the farm and taking care of my family's needs.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship that I have faced is financial constraints. I depend mainly on farming for food and income but for the last 10 years, my region receives less rainfall that cannot sustain crop production. This has affected my income because no production from the farm compared to last year's where I could havest 14 bags of maize from an acre of land, for now you can not havest a bag from an acre, so farming is now out of our thinking.