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 ($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?
My new goal is to build another house and expand my business. I would like to build another house because I have only one house and it is small in size. I would like to build another one that is spacious and enough for us and the guests visiting our household. I also would like to expand my salon business and that of selling second-hand clothes so that I can earn more profit that will enable me to meet all of my family's needs comfortably and to pay school fees for my child who is currently in primary school.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did well because they were free and fair in their enrollment. They did not require anyone to bribe so that they could enroll him or her in their program. I hence do not see where they went wrong. I urge them to keep up the good work.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent most of my recent transfer money on buying a cow. I bought it at KES 30000. I decided to buy it because I usually incur the daily cost of buying milk and sometimes the milk is not available. I usually buy a litre at KES 60 daily. With the cow, I will be able to save up some of the money. I also spent KES 8000 to buy maize for our consumption. I decided to it so that we could have some that we can consume for a while and hence I will no longer incur a lot of costs buying it daily. I usually take out the money that I have made in the business in a day to meet the daily needs. I am glad that I have been able to save some of the money and I have reinvested it in the business. My business has thus grown which is unlike before. With the remaining amount of money, I used it in buying clothes and a few household items such as a chair, some utensils, etc. I am thus grateful to GiveDirectly for their support.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($499 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was at my workplace when I heard my phone ringing, upon checking it was a Mpesa message alert, upon confirmation I was very excited to see that GiveDirectly had kept their promise. I was overwhelmed with happiness and joy, I immediately rushed out to inform my colleagues. They were equally happy for me, We all thanked God together.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my life is that My compound is well-kept and maintained, I now own a dairy cow which I'm hopeful that shortly I'll be able to earn an income out of it. In addition to that, I planted maize and beans. This will go a long way in boosting my income. I am so grateful that GiveDirectly impacted my life positively.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received my transfer, I saw it as an opportunity for me to venture into dairy farming, therefore, I used KES 20,000 in purchasing a dairy cow so that I could earn an extra income, in addition, that I also planted maize and beans, and finally, I used the remaining part of the transfer in fencing my farm and renovating my house.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means a stable source of income. I am employed as a hairdresser in the nearby town earning a meager wage of Ksh 500 a day. Because I am a single mother of one girl who is in Primary school, raising her single-handedly with that income is hard. My intention, therefore, is to spend my first transfer to open and run my salon in the nearby town. My projection is to increase my income up to approximately Ksh 1500 a day. Fulfilling this dream will mark a stepping stone in my financial freedom.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the evening. This is because I spend the entire day working as a hairdresser in the nearby town. Re-uniting with my daughter in the evening after work rejuvenates my life.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of financial inadequacy has been the biggest hardship I have faced in life. Since we separated from my husband six years ago, life has been unbearable because he was the sole provider in the family. I had to take care of our girl single-handedly who is in primary level. My life took a different course and I started working as a casual laborer in the village which was hard to get. In the year 2020, I was employed in a salon and that is where my career of being a hairdresser started materializing. I intend to start my own salon business and improve my life.
