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.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a tailor while my husband is a mason. All together, we have been able to give our two children the best that we could afford. Since our family is very young and our first born has just joined school, we wanted to focus on building ourselves so that once our children will be in high school, we won't strain to pay their school fees. I wanted to add more stock to my business which was picking up slowly after the hit by Coronavirus pandemic but I didn't have capital. For the last three months, I have been spending KES 1500 to add more stock and saving KES 1500 per month in a sacco. My focus is on growing my business and the reason why I have been saving the money is that I can be able to expand my business more in the near future.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($27 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
So far, I'm satisfied with everything from the enrollment process to the point where I have my first transfer. I like the fact that the transfers are unconditional and everyone can spend it according to their needs.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a tailor and I had depleted all materials in my shop and I could no longer get customers since I had nothing to offer to them except doing repairs. I was so desperate to the point where I wanted to close my shop. I spend all the transfers that I received to add more stock to my business.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($11 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was actually sewing at my shop at the time when the message arrived and honestly I was so excited because when I was getting enrolled to the program I genuinely thought it was not real and that it was just a lie. Therefore when I got the money I was shocked but happy as well. So it was definitely a good surprise.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
This funds have helped me grow my business which makes me very happy because this is how I earn a living and to develop my business so that I can eventually make profit makes me very glad and excited for the future.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My profession is I work as a tailor for years now and at times business gets hectic because I barely have enough money to buy new material. Therefore when I received the money I waited until the next day then I went ahead and bought material which I could use for tailoring which would in turn bring in more market. So I bought material worth KES 500 and left it at my shop. As for the rest of the money which was KES 700 I left it in my savings account which I hope will help me in the future in case of any emergency.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My life long dream of expanding my tailoring business always seemed to be sleeping far away due to financial instability.Since I don't have kids and I don't plan to get married, I have always wanted to give my aged parents a better life and this would only be possible if my business grows. With this money, I will be able to add more materials to my business which will attract more customers hence increasing my income.
What is the happiest part of your day?
What makes me happy is that my business did not fail during the Coronavirus crisis when so many people closed their business.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Since the hit of COVID-19 on my business, I have not been able to recover from the losses that I encountered. My tailoring business was almost collapsing and I was thinking of closing it but since I am still hopeful that I will get this money, I will revive it.
