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 ($421 USD)
access_time 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Since my business is doing better compered to last year, I want to save some money from the profit and buy two dairy cows. A liter of milk sells at $0.7 and if I will manage to get fourth liters per day, that will be some good money.. Achieving this means earning some good income and therefore expansion of my businesses.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
What I liked about GiveDirectly is their dedicated staff who are very kind and respectful. Kudos to the good job that they did. The program was also free fair and no corruption was witnesses.May you continue doing the great work that you do.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I operate a shop where I sell household items and I am the sole breadwinner to a family of seven ( wife and six children). Owing to the harsh economic times, the business was not doing well early last year and it was facing closure. I was therefore not able to pay school fees for my school going children because I was putting every coin to my business to save it and that saw them accumulate arrears of $200. I therefore spend $200 of my second transfer to clear the school fees arrears so that my children won't be send home for school fees. I spend the balance to add more stock to my business which is doing good now. I am so grateful to GiveDirectly for the financial boost.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($461 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
We were seated in the leaving room together with my family waiting for the evening meal to be served. I was scrolling through my phone when I saw a text message showing that I had received KES 55,000 from Segovia technologies. Words cannot express the immense joy of receiving unconditional cash. I knew that with it I would be able to accomplish all the immediate needs that I had. I then broke the news to my family and they were all happy and grateful for the support. We celebrated throughout the better part of the evening.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that my children are all happy because they have a decent house unlike before when they were forced to share a very small room. And secondly, they can comfortably study without worrying of been sent home to collect school fees. I am happy and fulfilled as a parent seeing my children happy and healthy therefore I am grateful for the support that brought so much happiness into our lives and also uplifted my living standards.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a businessman married and blessed with seven children. When we were promised the unconditional transfer, my wife and I thought of constructing a decent house for our children according to our culture. Therefore we used KES 30,000 on realising the goal. The support from GiveDirectly made it easy for us since we were unable to execute the plan before due to school fees responsibilities. Additionally, I paid school fees arrears of KES 20,000 for my children. I am so relieved for the financial boost that made me accomplish so much in a short period.
Enrolled
access_time almost 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have been building a permanent house from the year 2015 and up to now I have not completed it. I have 6 children who are in their different level of schooling. The school fees for the whole year is KES 180,000 for all my 6 children and that is what has stopped me from completing the house. My family is still living in a small house that is not enough to accommodate all of them. Financial constraints have weighed me down to a point that I cannot catch sleep. My desire is to complete the construction of this house so that my family can finally have a decent place to sleep. I intend to spend KES 50,000 to see this happen. Receiving this money will help me finish my 7year old house project
What is the happiest part of your day?
There is a project going on in this village funded by the world bank where villagers get electricity connection free of charge. I am one of the beneficiaries of this project and I am happy that I will soon have power in my house.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I own a hardware shop at Labotiet shopping centre where I sell building materials. The main challenge that I face is the decreasing number of customers who come to buy because of skyrocketing prices of building materials. I hardly sell and the business is on the verge of collapsing because I have been using working capital to finance the basic needs of my family. I am worried that if the situation continues as it is materials such as cement might expire and will be a big loss to me
