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 ($493 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is different than how it would have been if I never received the transfers in that I have purchased a dairy cow. I used to buy milk daily and this was so costly for me. I do not have a continuous source of income, I depend on small scale farming and the harvest that we get annually is so small and it's only for consumption. We rarely sell the surplus to meet other household items. We didn't had an extra money to buy a dairy cow. Currently we no longer buy milk because we have a dairy cow. My family has enough milk and I sell the surplus milk to earn an income to meet other basic household needs. I am so grateful for the support.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly does well by giving money to the poor in the community to build better houses and to buy dairy cows. I do not find anything that GiveDirectly did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spend part of the money I received from GiveDirectly on purchasing a dairy cow. I used to buy milk daily and this was so costly for me. I also bought food, clothes and pipes from draining tap water for domestic use and for irrigating my farm. I am so much grateful for the support because GiveDirectly has changed my living standard.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($502 USD)
access_time almost 4 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was at 12pm as I was coming from the shamba and I had left my phone to charge. When I checked my phone I saw the GiveDirectly transfer message and I screamed out loud. My sister in law asked me what was going on and I told her it was the GiveDirectly transfers and she came to celebrate with me.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My irrigation system is doing well where I have onions and tomatoes which I sell for income. This will ensure that even in the dry season, I will have enough supply of tomatoes and onions for my customers. I also have a cow which I milk unlike before when I used to buy milk and it was very expensive for me.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I bought an irrigation system e.g pipes for my shamba where I plant tomatoes and onions. I also bought a cow, 40 chicken, maize seeds and fertilizer.
Enrolled
access_time 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I lost my job due to COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020. Since then I have been home trying farming as a business but I have
not been successful due to lack of capital. The dry season in this place is usually so prolonged so I would like to purchase irrigation equipment with these transfers because we have plenty of water around this farm which has not been put into use. This will enable me to be an all weather farmer and have an income throughout the year.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am usually happy in the morning because it's a time am full of energy to work in my farm.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My father got a stroke in early 2018. It came at a time when we did not have any money to pay for his medical bills. The medical insurance we had did not honor their responsibility and we were left at the mercy of my fellow villagers who fundraised for us.
