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 ($433 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Even though we sometimes struggle to pay school fees for my three children, I have set a new goal of opening a new business selling vegetables. This will help substitute my husband’s income and I can be chipping in to pay some recurring bills.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
I think GiveDirectly came to save our lives and help us come out of poverty. By giving unconditional transfers, one can choose what to do as per their most pressing needs. The whole village is glowing, and at peace having met their household needs.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My husband who is a trained driver had always wanted to have his tuk-tuk and so we had been saving up in a Sacco to acquire one. By the time the second transfer was sent, we had saved $20 which we topped up with $500 from the transfer received to purchase it. This has been the main source of income in our family since, on a good day, he can make $5 which we use to buy daily food and other necessities. The remaining $30 we used to replenish food in the house.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($459 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 5 in the evening when I was just relaxing with my family members when I heard a message tone from my phone. Without hesitating, I decided to check where the message was coming from. I was shocked and happy after realizing that it was from GiveDirectly. I had finally received my first cash transfer. It was a joyous moment in our lives for we were certain that we would achieve a lot through the transfer.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that through the transfer I have been able to achieve my long-time goal. The fact that I have been able to purchase the motorbike has brought a positive impact on our lives as a family. Back in the day, my spouse was employed by his friends and paid on commission. Being the breadwinner, it was so tough because his income was very low. He could hardly pay fees for our two school-going children nor provide our daily bread. I had to think of a permanent solution for this problem since the situation worsen day by day. Therefore after purchasing the bike, my spouse has been ferrying passengers to and from the village and get an income. For now, whatever he earns is all his. We have therefore been able to fulfil our heart desires and settle all our bills on time. Ever since we have never skipped any meal and I have been able to pay fees for my kids on time. This is an assurance that they will produce quality grades hence a brighter future.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spend part of my first transfer on buying a motorbike at KES 40000. It has been my dream to own it for years but I couldn't afford it because they were relatively costly. I however settled for it because my spouse has been employed by one of his friends and he was paid on commission. The amount that he used to earn could barely sustain all our needs. I am so happy that for now whatever he will be earning will all be ours. Therefore I will no longer have to struggle in fulfilling the household needs like before. I also paid school fees of KES 6000 for my two children who are in primary school in grades 3 and 2 respectively. Settling these arrears means a lot to them because they will no longer be sent home severely like before. With the remaining amount, I have been buying food for my five family members.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
This is a great opportunity to change my life, I have been hoping to get soft loan from bank so that I can start my own shop, to help my community instead of travelling long distance to go the shopping center which is almost 45 minutes from our area.
Acquiring the loans has been very challenging, because most of the times I don't qualify because I don't even have savings but today God just sent his angel that at the beginning of the year am hopeful that soon I will receive my transfer and I won't need to worry about paying back.
My family will be better and we will be able to live our dreams.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In mid last year, My husband had just been employed as a tuktuk (mini taxi) driver and because business was booming, he was sending good amount of money for catering our basic needs especially on children's school fees, and buying food, I could eat whatever I like i.e. meat, fish and I thought if everyone had money ohhh how life could be so beautiful.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
At the moment am living miserably, we are a family of 6, and my husband is away doing days jobs and sometimes work as a tuktuk(mini taxi) driver which is not his permanent job, because a lot of people depend on same vehicle, so most of the times he has to depend on other menial jobs where he works till late hours and he is paid peanuts. Or
He cannot sustain us and it's tough to even afford 3 meals a day, or get good education because most of the times they are chased out of school for lack of school fees, they are below 10 years so I have to teach them to be resilient at an early age, because times are tough ahead.
We as a family hope to use this money to start small shop in the village, because a lot of people travel far to reach the shopping which takes lot of time, we hopeful that this will bring profits to invest in my children's education, and give them a good life in future. It has been my husband's dream to purchase a new tuktuk, a mini taxi for his self employment, and now the dream has come true soon he will be able to do his business without being worried of being laid due to lack of employment.
