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 ($468 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?
My goal was to buy livestock, decent beddings and go to collage and I have already achieved two of them. I joined collage recently and I have not thought of any new goal until I'm done with school.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
What GiveDirectly does well is giving unconditional cash transfers to recipients and giving them advisory. Although, the transfers are unconditional, we get to make some wise decisions.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I graduated from primary school, I wanted to join a vocational collage to take driving course because my parents were not capable of taking me to high school. Because of poverty, they couldn't not even afford KES 20000 to pay for my driving course. I resulted to stay in the village where I used to do casual jobs which were which were not reliable because they were seasonal. When I was enrolled in the program, one of my goal was to go to college and which I have already enrolled. I spent KES 20000 of my recent transfer to pay my school fees, KES 30000
to to buy 7 goats and KES 2700 to buy 15 chickens. I'm hopeful that after I'm done with school, I will get a job to provide for my family while my wife will be looking after livestock at home.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($491 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
At around 3pm while still at the field struggling at least to get something to take home so that my children could have some meals, is when I saw a message in my phone. My heart melted in joy after seeing GiveDirectly have sent me the promised transfer of KES 55000.00, an amount that I hadn’t received before.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference I have witnessed in my life since the day I received the GiveDirectly transfer is the food security for my family. Initially we sometime went for even two days without food but as of now, we have food guarantee on daily basis and not just food but goo food.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Being a farmer by passion, the first thing I considered was buying gala goats. I bought five of them for KES 30000.00 and some chicken for KES 5000.00. I have been doing the chicken business for a while and it has been assisting me in taking care of my family. But due to the dryness that has affected our area the business collapsed. I saved the remaining amount for family upkeep.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means a stable source of income. This has been my yearning for many years but due to financial instability, this has never come to pass. This I intend to achieve by practicing poultry farming. I intend to spend KES 40,000 of the transfer to purchase 30 indigenous chicks and built a shelter. Indigenous chicks are easy to maintain and they multiply very fast. This will generate income for my family of 3 members because I will sell them at a profitable price and use the proceeds for our basic needs such as food. The remaining part of the transfer will invest in renovating the walls of my house and purchase modern beddings so that we can leave comfortable life.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I always wake up at 6:00 Am every day so that I go to work and provide for my family's needs. Normal, at this time my family is always still asleep so I do not have any chance to interact with them. Evening is my happiest part of the day because at this time I have enough time to sit and chat with my family about something that I enjoy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I work as a casual laborer at our nearby center. The wages from the work of KES 500 are not enough to sustain all our needs such as shelter and food. This is the reason I have failed to renovate my house for a very long time. Therefore, lack of a stable source of income is the biggest hardship I have faced in my life.
