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
55000 KES ($471 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?
When I received money from GiveDirectly I used some of it to face lift my compound. I did this by buying chain link that enabled me to fence my compound but I could not fence the entire compound. My new goal therefore is to buy a fencing wire that will see me fence my entire compound. We have been relying on old methods of fencing that are easily destroyed by animals.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly did well by giving us the money without conditions on how to use it. This gave us the freedom to choose how to spend the money on and empowered us to make decisions on the best things that we thought of. I am personally very grateful to have fenced my compound and for the dairy cow that we bought.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We used KES 10000 to buy chain link for fencing our compound. We also bought a dairy cow worth KES 30000 and bought maize for consumption worth KES 6000. The remaining amount was used to pay casuals working on our farm and to meet other family's expenses. We had had to sell all the livestock that we owned to pay school fees and this was an opportunity to claim back all that we owned.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($482 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was at home with my young son when my phone vibrated. He came running towards me with the phone when I checked, it was a message bearing the good news from Givedirectly. I was so elated and thankful to God and Givedirectly at large.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Owning a cow is my biggest difference. I am grateful to Givedirectly for making this happen after I had sold all I had. Looking forward to my second transfer so that I can add one hence can start enjoying more milk production for both consumption and sell extra to earn income.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon receipt of my first transfer, I prioritized purchasing a heifer worth Kshs.25,000.I had sold all my cows towards raising school fees for my school-going children and I had been keeping one cow which I had borrowed from a friend. I also bought paints at a cost of Kshs.4,000 which I used to paint my houses since they had rusted. My houses have a new look and I am so grateful. With Kshs.7,000 I bought a barbed wire which I used to fence my farm hence no livestock can destroy my crops. I also used Kshs.4,000 to build a chicken coop which I currently keep the chicken that I had before receiving the transfer and waiting for the next transfer so that I can add more and sell eggs and chicks so earn an extra income towards payment of school fees.With the remaining amount I used to buy clothes and foodstuffs for my household members.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My old age has denied me the opportunity of working casually to earn a living. This leaves me to think critically about other sources of earning income. With this money, I will plan KES 50000 to venture into the business of rearing goats and sheep. This will help me put something on the table and clear other bills for my family. Also to support my wife's dream of having a poultry farm, I will give her KES 20000 to invest in this business and boost family income through the selling of eggs and poultry products. To arrest the challenge of food shortages in my family I will use the remaining amount to buy two sacks of maize and buy clothing for my family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I have been enjoying peace and unity in my family for the last six months. This made it easy for us to work on our family challenges like food shortages.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Food shortages have been my big challenge, this is making me beg for food from my neighbors which makes me feel ashamed. I do not have a stable income making it difficult for me to buy enough food for the family.
