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 ($461 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?
Before receiving the money from GiveDirectly, I used to engage in farming activities in small scale to make income that would support my family. I am happy that having received the money from GiveDirectly I was able to expand my farming activities and have added an extra acre of land under agriculture. Right now I have maize beans and other crops in it and looking forward towards a good harvest. My new goal therefore is to be able to continue doing larde scale farming and improve the living standards of my family going forward.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly did very well by helpingeveryone unconditionally especially during such economic times. This greatly changed the living standards among community members. There was no biasness at all and everything was so transparent in terms of how people were enrolled. I did not find anything that I thought GiveDirectly shoud improve or did not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used KES 40000 to pay back a loan that I had taken to buy a piece of land before. The remaining amount of KES 15000 was used to buy a heifer that will also be helpful to us as a family once it starts producing milk. Had I not received money from GiveDirectly then I would have to rely on proceeds from my motorcycle business to make income and pay the loan in bits. I am so grateful to GiveDirectly for enabling me realize this dream much earlier than I had expected.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($487 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 home and I was about to finish my daily job at my farm. Just I was going back home, I heard my phone ringing notifying me of a new message. I decided to check it and to my surprise, it was an SMS indicating that I had received the lump sum transfer of KES 55000 from GiveDirectly. I was so happy on seeing this and I hurriedly went home and I showed my wife and children telling them the good news. They were so happy too and we celebrated together because we knew that the money was going to help us in buying the things that we had always wanted to buy.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The transfer has brought a very big difference in my life and that of my family. We were able to achieve our dream of buying another cow and hence our milk production has increased. Due to increased production, our income has increased too. Apart from buying the cow, we were able to settle the loan that we owed a certain SACCO. We hence no longer have to worry that the SACCO might come to take away our cows to recover their loan.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent most of my transfer on buying another cow. I wanted to buy another cow to add to the one that I have been having to increase milk production. We usually supply two litres of milk to the cooling plant where they buy it at KES 30 per litre. We had always wanted to buy another cow but we were not in a position to buy one due to lack of money. My wife and I are farmers and we usually practice mixed farming. We usually grow onions for sale and crops such as maize, bananas, and beans for subsistence use. When the onions mature well, we usually sell them at a cost of approximately KES 8500. This money plus what we earn from the sale of milk, most of it usually goes to the payment of school fees for my sister and my two children. With two cows, our milk supply to the cooling plant has increased since we now supply five litres of milk every day. I am hence grateful to GiveDirectly because they enabled me to achieve my dream.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means a diversified source of income. We have been struggling to make ends meet during these hard economic times. Currently, I have one dairy cow which produces 7 liters a day. Out of this, we consume 2 liters domestically and sell the surplus at KES 40 a liter. What I get as income is unsustainable because I have 2 school-going children who are in Primary level yet we have other domestic recurrent expenses. Therefore, I intend to spend KES 40,000 to add one dairy cow to the one I have and my projection is to milk approximately 15 liters a day. This will be a stepping stone in leading a better life through improved income.
What is the happiest part of your day?
After dropping my two school-going children early in the morning, I go back home to herd my dairy cow until mid-morning. I spend part of my afternoon hours taking the cow to the stream for water and later in the evening pick my children from school. After accomplishing the day's activities, I feel happy and relaxed in the evening.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of sufficient funds has been the biggest hardship I have faced in life. I graduated 9 years ago and I have not been able to get employment. I spent all my savings in search of employment which never materialized. The little we get from dairy farming (approximately KES 200 a day) is hardly enough to cater to a family of five. Seeing Give Directly in our village is a sign of renewed hope.
