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 over 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I don't have any new goals at the moment, this is because I was able to buy a dairy cow but unfortunately it died due to a prolonged drought that had affected our region, this left me devastated thus I thought of relaxing for a while before thinking of the next step.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirecty gave us the unconditional transfer and we are grateful, Their staff accorded us respect. So far everything was done professionally.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received my second transfer, I decided to purchase a motorbike for my son, I did this to empower him so that he can stand on his feet, for him to support his family, I was unable to support him before due to unreliable sources of income, thus I gave him KES 15,000 so that he could acquire a second-hand motorbike, I then used KES 30,000 in buying 2 dairy cows but unfortunately, they perished due to prolonged drought that affected our area, I was disappointed but I gave myself hope of a better tomorrow, I then paid school fees with the remaining amount.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($510 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I can still remember just like the other day when I was preparing for my daily activities when my mobile phone started bringing continuously. This was a clear indication that there was an incoming message. Becasue i am illiterate, I asked on some assistance from my helper and after checking, he realized that it was an Mpesa from GiveDirectly. On receiving the news, I felt so happy for the blessing and I even left the task I was handling.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
For all those years I have been sheltering under a small traditional house with some crack muddy walls. I had a dream of owning a decent one but dr to the poverty life that had stricken my household, I could not afford to purchase the materials. Therefore some of my family members were forced to seek shelter from my relatives and the worst thing is that they were used to stay very far from the village. These were the worst moments of my life because every night, some of my children had to walk for miles in search of shelter. After receiving the transfers, the construction of the house was a priority and I feel happy and proud after achieving this, courtesy of GiveDirectly. My children no longer travel for shelter and we longer worry about the rains and insecurities.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Since I have been yearning to construct a spacious decent house, I spent a larger part of my first transfer on buying some building materials which include several pieces of iron sheets, building poles, timber, ropes, and a wooded door. This was purposely for the construction of a new house because the previous one was a small round hut with a grass thatched roof. With the remaining amount of money, I am using it to buy foodstuffs for the family and some other household items that I was lacking.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means a new house for my family. This is because the one I currently own is a grass-thatched one and old-fashioned. I have planned to have a spacious iron-roofed house but due to the financial crisis, this has never been possible. With the grant from GiveDirectly, I am confident that soon my dream will materialize since I plan to spend the first transfer to have this accomplished. The second transfer will help me to start livestock keeping since I intend to buy 10 goats at $30 each and the remaining amount will cater for my bedding expenses.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The evening is the happiest part of my day since I usually get relaxed from my strenuous day's activities. Unlike in the morning and afternoon hours when I am engaged in my charcoal business, a job that drains much of my energy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
All in my life, charcoal burning has been the only job that has sustained my family's basic needs. Currently, This is not possible because the trees are no longer available in plenty and it means uprooting even the roots to make the charcoal. It is a very challenging life and sometimes my children are missing food. Hence, the lack of a reliable source of income is the biggest hardship that I have ever faced in my life.
