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 ($512 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life has changed to a great extent because I managed to build a brand new house where I now live together with my family quite comfortably. I also have a new motorbike which I use to ferry passengers at a small fee and thereby be able to generate some income on a daily basis.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
The organization does a good job by letting the transfers to be unconditional because personally, I needed to buy a motorbike, which I eventually purchased using the transfers I was given.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent the money on buying mostly livestock such as goats which I know are of great benefit to humanity myself included. I also purchased a motorbike which I now use to ferry passengers at a fee every day. I am happy to have purchased the motorbike because it helps me generate money every day which I use to feed my family. I can proudly say that I am able to make approximately Kes 1000 every day.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($545 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I have peace of mind. I get a good amount of money from the ferrying goods and people using my own motorcycle which I recently bought using the first transfer. I am no longer worried about how to provide for my family who used to depend on the meager amount that I could get from hiring someone's motorcycle. Right now I have big dreams that I am comfortably sure of achieving because I get all the profit that I use by myself.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
A message was on my phone at around 4:00 AM in the morning. Since I am a school drop out and doesn't know how to read, I just decided to wait until it was bright outside so that my sister who stays near by could ready it for me. I could hear a lot of noise outside my house from people. It seemed that people were celebrating but I did not know what was exactly happening. I just held myself until morning when I took the phone to my sister who broke the good news to me. I was very happy and knew that I will meet my goal of buying my own motorcycle.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent a large portion of my transfer on purchasing a second-hand motorcycle. Previously, I could hire a motorcycle from someone, which could be shared with so many men that were around the hood just waiting for their turn in order to put food on the table. When evening came I could only get as little as 50 KES. This was not enough to cater for my basic needs. I had to live a miserable life of havings debts from one of my friend who is a shop keeper, I could borrow and repay the time I got the money. Today, I am a smartly dress boss who has his own motorcycle. I get all the profits as much as 700KES a day because I work all day unlike before where I could work for a few hours. I finally bought more utensils in my house.
Enrolled
access_time almost 6 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means I am going to get enough capital to start up a clothe selling business. Currently, am working as a shop attendant in the nearby shopping center, and the experience I've gotten there has equipped me with requisite skills to run a business of my own. It has always been my greatest ambition to achieve this goal, a gap Give Directly has come to fill. Having this up and running means; sustainable source of income. I see myself able to educate my children to the highest level possible with much ease, an opportunity I never got while growing up.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening. The warm welcome and joyful faces my kids greet me with every evening when I return home from work is satisfying. My day starts very early in the morning and in most cases I leave before they are up. I enjoy spending time with them; something that brightens my evenings.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of sustainable source of income has been the biggest hardship I've faced in my life. It all started when my parents passed away a while ago. My siblings and I were forced to drop out of school due to lack of money. We resorted to casual jobs, and the little income we could earn were only enough to buy us a single meal a day. Had I gotten basic education, my story could be different now, something I don't want my kids to go through in their lives. With Give Directly coming our way, it is a sign of relief and hope knowing that that my dream for better life is just a month away.
