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
53150 KES ($527 USD)
access_time over 4 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 from how it would have been had I never received the transfer because I no longer buy milk anymore. Also, I earn an income daily by selling milk to my neighbors. In addition to this, I have been able to build a decent and spacious house that can accommodate us comfortably. I believe that its God who led GiveDirectly to my village so that I would be able to achieve this things that had seem impossible before.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did well by uplifting us from the pit of poverty that we were languishing in and I do not see anything that they did not do well.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I bought a dairy cow and its calf using a good amount from my second transfer. I settled on this as a way of reducing my daily expenditure and so that I can be earning income through milk sales. Also, I bought two sheep for rearing. This area assets to me that I can depend on in case of a financial crisis. I spent the remaining amount to buy two seats since I did not have any and food for my family.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($530 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I have been able to acquire some of the assets that I never thought I could acquire anytime soon. The fact that I have a new and bigger house and the dairy cows that I bought are a great inspiration to me to even work harder. I plan to do much more with the second transfer once I receive and this will greatly change my life and that of my family.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I received a message from GiveDirectly at around 4:57 am and I was so happy about it. I could not sleep from then. I walked to my neighbors place and woke him up to share the good news with him. He had just received the money as well and was calling other neighbors to share the good news with them. I have never felt the kind of happiness that I felt then.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I used part of my transfer to build a new house and used the remaining amount to buy two dairy cows. The house that I was staying in was too small and with a leaking roof. This was so uncomfortable and not so safe for my young family's health and security. I also decided to buy the dairy cows so as to be able to get enough milk for the family and be able to sell the surplus to meet other basic family needs. It is so fulfilling for a parent like me to be able to live up to my responsibilities of providing the basic needs of the family to my loved ones. The cows that I bought shall go a long way in making sure that my family eats a balanced diet all year round. We are so grateful to GiveDirectly for their support.
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
For a long time I have depended on my friend's cows to sustain my family with milk as source of income. Livestock play a major role in children's education in my community. Now that I anticipate to get money from GiveDirectly, I am planning to buy four heifers which will provide me with milk to fend for my family in two year's time.
Moreover, decent housing contribute to the wellbeing of every child. This is why my ambition is to discard one of my old leaking houses so as to construct a better one for my children.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I would wake up in the morning to go toil in my sweet potato farm till afternoon. Being a rainy season, the farm requires regular weeding to counter fast growing weeds and bushes. All this while, my wife would be busy collecting water for domestic use in a pond about a kilometer away. She would join me in the farm in the afternoon which expedites work to be done for the day, making it the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
"Imagine humans drinking from the same water pond as cattle, donkeys and even dogs! This is rain water that rapidly drain all sorts of filth and dirt by the roadside into this pond. This is an unbearable situation that the residents of my community have been subjected to for as long as I can remember, a situation that has become a predisposing factor to common diseases like typhoid. Diseases we are not in a position to treat because of financial challenges. This makes life in this place one to endure, thus the biggest hardship I've faced in my life. "
