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 ($478 USD)
access_time 3 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 have now that I didn't have before receiving the transfer is that of purchasing a water tank. I used to walk for a long distance to collect clean water for domestic uses. This was not easy before because I didn't had the money to buy a water tank. When I received the transfer from GiveDirectly, I decided to purchase a water tank to help me save time and be in a position to get clean water. Currently I am so happy because GiveDirectly has changed my living standard.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly does well buy giving money to the poor in the community to build better house and to buy dairy cows. I do not find find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used part of the money I received from GiveDirectly to complete the construction that I had started using the previous transfer. I am so happy now because I live in a better and spacious house. I purchased two water tanks for storing clean water for domestic uses. I used to walk for a long distance go get clean water. This was so tedious and time consuming. Currently I am able to get water from my tank and save time to do other activities. I purchased two sofa seat seats and the rest of the money I bought food and clothes. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has changed our living standards to be much better than before.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($504 USD)
access_time over 3 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 11am when I heard a ringtone message from my phone. I was on my farm cultivating. I do not know how to read so I took the phone to my daughter in law to check it for me. She told me it was a message confirming that I have received money from GiveDirectly. I felt so happy and stop what I was doing to celebrate the good news. I knew I would be able to buy a water tank which had been always my wish. I felt so happy and overwhelmed. My daughter in-law went and withdrew it. GiveDirectly has changed my living standard.
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 bought a water tank. I used to walk for a long distance to collect clean water for drinking and for domestic used. This was tiresome and time consuming. This was limiting me from my daily chores. The water we were collecting at the river was so dirty. We were being exposed to water related diseases which is so expensive to cure. We do small scale farming and the harvest that we get is only for consumption. I did not had some savings to purchase the water tank. When I received the transfer I felt so happy because I knew I would be able to buy a water tank. Currently we drink clean water and no longer exposed to any water related diseases. I have save much of my time to work on my farm. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has enabled us to live a better life than before.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of the money I received from GiveDirectly on purchasing a Water tank storing water clean water for domestic use. I used to walk for a long distance to collect clean water. This was so tiresome and time consuming. I also bought cements and iron sheet for building a stand for the two tanks. The rest of the money I bought food and bedding for my children. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has changed my living standard.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am priviledged to have an iron-roofed house but even so,my happiness is incomplete.Having such a house would have eased my constant problem of collecting water from a river which is about 1 kilometer away .However,the house does not have the ridges meant for collecting rain water as well as a water tank.This means that during rainy seasons,I watch as water pours down the roof and afterwards proceed to the river to fetch water.I am very happy to be enrolled into the GiveDirectly program as the transfers that I hope to get will enable me buy a water tank at a cost of Sh 20000.I also intend to furnish my house as there is barely anything that a visitor can sit on in it.With the remainder,I will buy a heifer which will be a constant reminder of the kind gesture I received from a "strange" organization.This is not something that happens everyday.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Despite my age,I spend most of my day in the maize farm.It is just resilience and hope that keeps me doing this over and over again even though the challenges are many.I usually spend my mornings to afternoon either planting or weeding depending on the season and return home at lunc time to prepare ameal for my spouse and I.The time I spend working in the farm is the happiest part of my day-with no specific reasons, but I grew up watching my parents farm and I came to love this activity too.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The worst predicament that could befall a farmer is planting crops with the hope of getting a harvest and then getting none.This has been my situation for eight consecutive years.Every year is a story of its own-if it isnt a crop (maize) disease,it is prolonged drought.The worst of the two,however,is crop disease.A strange disease has been affecting this crop which is our staple food for many years.We re-plant up to four times a year hoping that the next will be better than the last.But this has not been the case.This has exposed us to hunger as well as having to be overly dependent on our children who also have families to fend for.Additionally, the cost of buying the seeds is quite high and since we do not have any source of income,it means that we have to strain our children to provide for this even though there will not be any harvest eventually .This has been the biggest hardship I have faced.
