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 ($467 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
The new goal that I did not had before receiving the transfer is digging a pit latrine. I had other basic household items that needed my attention and money. When I received the transfer I found out that we should have a pit latrine. The construction is on going. Yet to complete in the next few days.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Giving money to the poor in the community to build better house and to pay school fees for their children is what GiveDirectly does well. The registration process was done fairly without any discrimination. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 20,000 to renovated my shop. I am planning to start a retail shop business in the next few months.This will be my additional source of income. I am still savings some from the current business of selling cereals. I added KES 12,000 to my cereal business. This has always been my dream to expand it. I am so happy because I am able to meet the demand of my customers.The profits I use to meet our household basic needs and save some amount to get more stock. The rest the money I bought food and clothes for my children. I am so grateful for the support because GiveDirectly has improved our living standards and enabled us to expand the business.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($495 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The moment I received the transfer I felt so happy. I remember it was around 9am, I was cleaning the utensils when I heard my phone rings. When I checked it out I couldn't understand the message well and I ignored it. I thought maybe someone sent me the money mistakenly. Within no time my neighbor called me. She asked me if I have received money from GiveDirectly. That's when I recheck again the message. I felt so happy because I have never received such amount of money. I inform my family members and they were so happy too. I knew I would be able to renovate my shop and add more stock to my cereal business.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I have renovated my shop and added more stock to my cereal business. I had always wished to do this but I didn't had the money. I depend on this business to get an income to meet all the basic household items and to pay the school fees. I has no savings since all the money were spent immediately. My shop was not decent, this was bothering me so much, I had plan of renovaginv it one day. When I received the transfer from GiveDirectly I felt so happy. I knew I would be able to do all this activities. Currently my shop look so decent and I have a good stock. My customers get all the cereals they need in my shop. My income is much higher compare to when I had not receive the money. I save some money to build an extension room for my children, I will buy them beddings and clothes. This my plan now. I am so grateful for the support.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of the money to renovate my shop.This involved painting and building more shelves. I added more cereal stock. I an able now to get higher profit than before. The rest of the money I spent on food and clothes for my children. I am so grateful for the support because GiveDirectly has changed our living standards.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
For a long time, I have been paying my children school fees in form of materials such as firewood and sacks of maize harvested from my farm. Since 2015 we have faced a great challenge because we have been unable to harvest enough maize due to drought, weather changes, and diseases. I have also fallen a lot of trees to supply firewood to schools as school fees. At the moment my compound is almost deserted due to cutting down of trees more often. Therefore receiving this money will enable me to pay a full-year school fee amounting to $500 for my son who is currently at Kericho Tea secondary school. I have also established a shop in the nearby center but I have not completed nor furnished it. Therefore I shall use approximately $100 to complete the shop, make shelves and paint it. The remaining $500 I shall use as capital for my business.
What is the happiest part of your day?
When I wake up in the morning I do my house chores, feed my livestock, work on the farm, and in the afternoon I go to Kaboson center to sell my maize. I am always happy when my business of selling maize grains is successful and can get more profits.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Payment of school fees has been a great challenge to my family, we have had sleepless nights every time schools were opening. My wife worked in the Tenwek mission hospital Kaboson branch as a dispenser and retired in the year 2018. From that time we have been through thick and thin in paying our children school fees, my main economic activity (farming) could not generate enough income due to unfavorable weather, and the diseases associated with maize have greatly reduced the yields. we just produce what is insufficient for our consumption hence unlike in the past I do not have enough maize to supply to schools to gather for my children school fees.
