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.
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($502 USD)
access_time 4 years ago
check
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is different now because I now own some livestock such as dairy cows and a pair of oxen that I acquired from the transfers. With that dairy cows, I am assured of getting some plenty of milk which I will sell to my neighbors and generate an income. Also, it will be fr my family consumption making them healthier. The pair of oxen will be helping me in doing my farming timely for better harvests. I will also hire it to neighbors at a fee and get an income as well. If it were not for GD I would not have achieved all these.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly has done well in everything at my village. Since everyone was enrolled in the village it has really improved our standards of living for all of us. We can now access to decent shelter, take our children's school and also own livestock which is assets to us that we can depend on. I don't see anything that GiveDirectly does not do well.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent part of my second transfer on buying dairy cows a total of KES 28000. I later bought an ox plough at KES 6000 for the pair of oxen that I bought using the first transfers. I also paid school fees for my children who are both in college and secondary school at KES 15000. The remaining amount of money, I bought enough foodstuffs for my family and some other household items.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($535 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
attach_money
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I now own a pair of oxen that I acquired when I received my first transfer. I believe and hope they will be of great help in ploughing my farm. I thought of buying them since they take less time to plough an acre as compared to doing the work by myself. I believe my harvest will increase because, with the help of the oxen, I will be able to increase the acreage of land under cultivation. Apart from that, I can also hire them to my neighbours' and get an income which will help me sustain my family needs with ease. I will also be getting manure from the oxen which will make my farm be more productive.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 6 am. I had already gone to my farm. I was shocked when I saw my son following me. I had a phone on his hand and he looked excited. I suspected there was some good news he wanted to share because he rarely comes to the farm. After asking him what the smile was all about, he told me that GiveDirectly had sent my first transfer into my account. I was so glad. I remember canceling my farming plans for that day and went back home. I was always in good moods. I kept planning and restrategizing my plans for how I would use the money.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent part of my first transfer on buying a pair of oxen at KES 30000. This has been my long-time dream but due to my low financial status, I could not afford it. In addition to that, I also cleared school fees for my children who are college and secondary school. They were almost doing their end year exams and I was afraid they could miss it. This was really stressing me as a parent. I later hired my neighbors to help me prepare my farm since it was a planting season. I spent the remaining amount of money, to buy enough foodstuffs for my children and other household items.
Enrolled
access_time over 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Food security in our areas is a big challenge since the rains are unpredictable. Considering that I majorly depend on subsistence farming, my life desire has been to upscale my farm and therefore, I intend to own an oxen and ox plough which will increase food production in my farm. Currently, I depend on the traditional ways of farming where I usually use the hoe and in most cases this gives me low produce that cannot sustain my family for even two months. In addition I also wish to have goats that I can call mine because the ones I take care of are for my neighbour. This will be my future investment for my kids and I will sell them when they produce inorder to educate my children.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The evening is the happiest part of my day since I usually get enough time to rest. Unlike in the morning and afternoon hours where I get busy due to the many household chores which make me feel so exhausted.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Food insecurity has been my biggest hardship in life since I am a subsistence farmer and my produce are always few due to my traditional ways of farming. When I get the transfers, I will be able to cab this menace by buying an oxen which will help me to have more produce.
