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 ($515 USD)
access_time almost 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 is different than it would have been in that I have more assets than I used to have before I received the money from GiveDirectly. I have been able to build a more spacious house and planted trees in a piece of land that I own. The newly built house has enabled us as a family to live a more dignified life and has made my family proud. I feel happy as a father having fulfilled one of the most fundamental responsibility as a parent; that of providing shelter as a basic need to my family. The trees that I have been able to plant are so important to me in meeting financial needs in the future. I am so happy for the help that GiveDirectly has offered to us.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion I think GiveDirectly did so well in how they selected the beneficiaries of the money from my village and even from the neighboring villages that I know of. Its officials were not biased at all in selecting eligible households. On the other hand, I did not see anything that did not go down well with me on how they conducted their operations. They were just a wonderful team of people that made all of us happy and proud.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I used KES 15000 to do shopping for my children, 5000 for maize , 33000 for building a new and spacious house for my family. For a long time,my family and I have been living in a very small house that would often make us so uncomfortable especially with my daughters who would want their privacy as I also want mine. The little amount of money that I got from my casual work was hardly enough to meet the daily household needs and we were often left with little or no amount at all to save. The money was also very helpful in facilitating our children's school shopping since we received it at a time that they were supposed to report back to school.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($546 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
Having started a business which has led to the construction of a new house in our family, I also set aside a piece of land from the plot which I was buying some months before receiving the transfers. I then decided to plant several tree species all on that small piece of land which are the potential sources of timber in the future. I managed to plant 2000 trees which are now in good shape and seems to be growing that fast despite the scorching sun which we have been experiencing since January. Seeing the green environment I have created around my homestead is indeed the biggest difference in my daily life.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
Everyone in the village was so happy when we received the first transfers. Everyone woke up very early in the morning to get prepared and all were set to the nearest town to collect their money. We were still in disbelief and we decided to wait for sometimes before collecting ours. We had already planned what to spend the money on and even dates of expenditures were already set. That gave us peace of mind to relax and wait for some days before collecting the transfers. Everyone in our family was happy including our children since we informed them right away when we received and they were all thanking GiveDirectly for the great help they had brought into our household.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
It has been my greatest dream to start a business but I did not have the capital to start. When GiveDirectly came in, it gave me hope that my dream will finally come to pass. Right now I have started a small business where I am buying and selling goats. This business has seen me through hard times, I have cleared the school fees payment and have also started construction of a new house for my family. All these courtesy of the transfer we received from GiveDirectly. I also took an initiative of ensuring that all my family members are dressed in new clothing unlike the old which were torn to tatters. My family is happy now and everyone is thanking GiveDirectly for the great help they have given unto us.
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have a plan of expanding my business after I receive this transfers.I buy goats from farmers in my location and then sell them at a higher price during market days.Sometimes the demand is high and I am forced to team up with other business people to meet the demand.After receiving this transfers I see myself meeting this high demand when necessary.This will help me gain more profit and avoid challenges that come up with teaming up with other business people.The returns will help me complete building my house which had stalled due to lack of funds.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I mainly deal with livestock;either grazing them or buying them for the sake of business.I feel happy when I receive a call asking me to go and check out goats which are for sale.If not that,I am happy looking after goats and cows around my compound since they are my source of income.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My first wife passed on in 2014 after a long illness battling menengitis.She first fell ill in 2003 but we did not discover that it was menengitis.She seemed disturbed and stressed only to discover years later what the disease was.I was not in a position to take her for specialized treatment since I did not have enough money.My business also went down at this time since I was the one taking care of our five children especially in 2013 and 2014 when she was totally ill.She passed on in 2014 leaving behind five children.This forced me to marry another wife to help me take care of the young children.The last born at that time was two years old.I now have two children with my second wife and taking care of them all has been an uphill task.This is the biggest hardship I have faced in my life.
