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
53010 KES ($387 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I have always wanted to have water at my doorstep, and this is something I'm looking forward to attaining. We decided to set aside a certain amount of money every day for the purpose of buying the water pipes and ensuring that this goal is fulfilled. This means that I will no longer buy water and will redirect the money we spent on water every day to something else because we will just be paying a monthly fee. I also want to finish the pit latrine so that I can protect myself and my family's health. To add to that, there are times when you really need to use a toilet, but there is someone else inside which will force you to go to the nearby bush, which annoys me.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Givedirectly has made a significant contribution to reducing poverty rates in the communities it serves. People have built better homes and sanitation systems, which contributed in the improvement of hygiene. Some have also done business with the transfers, which is quite promising. We are pleased and delighted to have used the transfers in a more effective manner that will continue to improve our lives for many years to come.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We immediately thought of business when we heard about GiveDirectly coming to our village, and it was our prayer that we would be selected. Fortunately, we were, and when we received the transfers, we bought a motorbike for $35, which we use for business and run errands at home. I usually go to the market and buy fresh vegetables in bulk for sale and my husband would use the motorcycle to transport them from one house to another, selling them at a slightly higher price than the one I had paid for them, and so far, it has been a profitable business. We also use the motorbike to assist us get water for domestic usage at home because carrying water on our backs would be highly risky to our health. I spent the second portion of the transfers on food and clothing for my children, which cost $5 each. With the casual jobs we were doing, it was rare that I find myself sacrificing to buy clothes, and if I did, it meant no meals that day. with the last portion of the transfers, I made a choice to have my own pit latrine because we share the one we have with 24 other people in the compound. I dug the hole for $8 and am now waiting for the top part to be completed.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($440 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was gathering green leafy veggies from my neighbor's farm with two of my buddies at around three o'clock. Since we both signed up for GiveDirectly on the same day, one of them had already got her first transfer while the other and I were excitedly awaiting our turn. Our phones buzzed almost simultaneously while we were picking the vegetables. Curiously, each person concentrated on her text message notice. The greatest news ever was this. I had received my transfer, which made my face uncontrollably smile. At first, I had a hard time accepting that I had gotten my money. After a while, this was the best evening of my life.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I can attest that GiveDirectly is a life-changing organization. Prior to the organization, I was residing in a little hut made of poles and thatched with grass that leaked heavily during the rainy season. When GiveDirectly arrived, I was able to build a good mud-walled house with an iron sheet roof thanks to the transfer. This is a genuine shift that, whatever its shortcomings, would not have been possible without the organization.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Living in a leaking grass-thatched house was the most pathetic situation I was in. After the enrolment, I vowed to build a nice house once I receive the money. Upon getting the first transfer, I saw it prudent to honor my desire. I bought 24 pieces of iron sheets for $221, five ridges for $14, and building poles and rafters for $74. I am grateful since the house is almost to completion. This will restore my happiness since I was unhappy and stressed due to the status of the house I was living in. As a housewife of three, I opted to buy two bales of maize flour for $37 to ensure that I have enough food at home. For the remaining amount, I opted to keep it for my family's upkeep as well as sorting school fees for my two lower primary school children
Enrolled
access_time almost 2 years ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
I have a family of five members and we are all living in a one-room house with a grass roof. It leaks during the rainy season and sometimes the family spends a sleepless night when it rains during the night. My first daughter is now 13 years old and you can imagine living in the same room with such a grown-up girl. The house lacks privacy and sometimes the husband changes his clothes after bathing in the forest. This is not the best life at all. He is a casual laborer earning $20 per month and I am a housewife. We cannot build a spacious house for the family. I will use $200 to buy 20 pieces of iron sheets, use $200 to pay labor, and use $300 to buy other building materials to buy a two-room house. This will accommodate my family very well. I will also use $300 to buy food for the family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In November 2022, my husband got a job at one of the construction sites at Matanomane center. He earned $150 for the month. He did the shopping and brought home baking flour and cooking oil. I prepared chapati for the family and we enjoyed. Be for then, the family had last taken chapati on 1st January 2022. I felt very happy as the mother.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My husband is a casual worker and I am just a housewife. He earns around $20 a month though not every month. I have a family size of four members and we use 2 bags of maize flour per day. My husband's income is low such that we adjusted the daily meal per day. We take one meal per day. Sometimes the family goes without food. A good example is last week, I got only two packets of maize flour the whole week. So I used the flour to prepare porridge for the children and my husband and I spent three good days without food. We survived with water only. Lack of food is the challenge I am facing in life.
