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 ($493 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
The completion of the construction of a new house and obtaining a good breed of a cow are great differences in my life that would not have been possible if I had never received the transfer. I had been working on several projects, trying to make savings towards the same but had never been possible. The arrival of GiveDirectly made this easier and I am glad that the long-awaited dream I had finally came to pass.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
By giving us the freedom to choose how best we can spend the transfers, GiveDirectly made it possible for every household to prioritize based on their needs. This is work well done for GiveDirectly as it never pushed us towards a certain line of expenditure but allowed us to make our own choices.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After a long struggle to complete the construction of my new house, it finally happened with the second transfer I received from GiveDirectly. I also spent the other 20000KES on purchasing a cow that is currently providing us with milk alongside some we had been producing from the goats I had been rearing. With the last bit of the remaining transfer, I obtained foodstuff for the household that had kept us going for some time now.
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?
It was in the midmorning when I received the good news that shade lights on my dream of building a bigger house. I got a new message on my phone and upon checking I was overjoyed with the news that I had received the money I knew from then that I would soon live in a bigger house.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Since I got married I have been living in one house together with my young family. I was hopeful that I would build another one but as time went by my family's needs never got me a chance to build one. I had worked around the clock to build one but the little yields from my subsistence farming couldn't allow me to meet my household needs and save some to build one. The biggest difference in my daily life is the house that currently building. I am so happy to see it being constructed since I had wished for a long to have one. This is my hope for a better life since I can invest my small earnings in other income-generating activities thus will improve our lives in the future.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my entire transfer on my family's needs to improve our standards. Even though some of my plans are not done yet, I am happy and hopeful with the process. First, I have spent KES21500 to build a house. I am living in a small house that so inconvenient to live in with my growing children. I have saved KES16000 to assure me of the completion of this construction. I took another KES7600 to invest in my household items and furniture. I feel proud of my items and I am sure I will enjoy the comfort of a fully furnished house with my family. I spent the remaining amount on my family food and clothing.
Enrolled
access_time almost 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
The only source of water we have for our family dairy cows is from a village pond two Kilometres away from here. It is filthy, and on many occasions, my cows would refuse to drink it. As a result, they have not been giving us enough milk. I wish to dig a well to avail clean water for these cows and also for our family. The animals will produce enough milk for the family and surplus for sale and as such our household income will increase.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening after am done feeding my cows. It is at this time that I just sit by the cowshed and take a look at how healthy my cows are.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Since I settled here in the year 2010, the biggest hardship I have witnessed is the lack of sufficient clean water for my household and my cows. I have spent a lot of money searching for a solution but nothing has worked so far.
