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.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My new goal is to buy land in the city so that I can build a house and relocate with my family there. I grew up in the city to acquire an education but because of some financial challenges, I couldn't make it there anymore but to come back to my hometown so that I can do bush labors to survive. With such an opportunity that GiveDirectly has given me, I want to buy land and build a house in the city for my family and move back there, this time I know things will not be the same as before.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly does well by helping us unconditionally without any strains being attached to it, they are also fair and truthful in their processes, they are kind and patient in relating with recipients during interviews, I don't know anything that GiveDirectly is not doing well, all is okay in opinion.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I will use my third transfer to improve the house I am living in presently because of its bad condition, I will also buy food with some of the transfer and the remaining amount will be saved for our future goal achievement.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
42500 LRD ($278 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I have new goal which is to buy land and build house for my family.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, Givedirectly is doing everything well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am saving my money to buy land.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
40375 LRD ($271 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 very happy and excited when the money enter my phone on that day.
It was a great blessing to me and my family to see such an amount of money
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The difference is I have the opportunity to have money with me when ever I want to do anything for myself, unlike before where I have to be asking people to help me before I can do anything for myself
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
School fee and a load of sand to plaster my room
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
If I am successful for Givedirectly to transfer me money, I intend to build my own house and use the remaining to educate my children. Building my own house has been my life time dream, but due to lack of money, I have not been able to achieve this dream. This is because our children will need an inheritance from us when we get old. Moreover, I have been making cassava farm and at the same time burning char coal so that I can raise enough money to build but to no avail because the money gathered from the farm and coal burning are never sufficient for children school fees, food and saving for the house project. More besides, where we live presently belongs to my mother-in-law even though we are not paying rent, but she has bigger boys children that are expected to inherit the house if she dies. The boys might not want us in their inheritance. Therefore, any assistance that Givedirectly will give to me that will improve me and my family lives will be highly appreciated.
What is the happiest part of your day?
What makes me very happy for the past six months is when I spoke with a power saw operator, Momodu Kamara, my brother-in-law to help cross cut sticks for char coal burning on credit. I managed to buy six gallons of gasoline to burn char-coal, but there was no money to pay the power saw operator to cross cut the sticks. I needed $9,000.00 Liberian dollars cash to be paid to him. So, I pleaded with him to do the work so that when I burn the coal and sell it to pay him for which he accepted. That makes me happy because no power saw operator can credit to cross cut sticks. They demand cash payment before they do the job. For the fact that he accepted to do it on credit, it makes me feel happy. So, after the sticks were cross cut in June, I was able to put up the first oven that gives me 110 bags that I sold $300.00 per bag. The money generated was used to do part payment on the debt owed (6 gallons) to the power saw operator, pay for the food (2 bags of 25kg rice), and the balance was used to complete the children school fees. The power saw operator received $6,000.00 LRD while I still owed him $3,000.00 LRD. Right now, I am just preparing to start the second oven so that I can complete the power saw operator's debt.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship facing me and my family right now is money to pay for my children school fees, buy food and build our own house. Even though I have been making cassava farm and at the same time burning char coal so that I can raise enough money to build but to no avail because the money gathered from the farm and coal burning are never sufficient for children school fees, food and saving for the house project. As for the coal, almost all of the profits goes to the power saw operators and the car drivers that take our coals to the market. The little that remains cannot even buy the complete food supplies for the family. Most times, I remain heavily indebted to the power saw operators. At present, I still owed one power saw operator two gallons money ($3,000.00) Liberian dollars for sticks he cuts for me this gone June for which the coal oven is presently being prepare for burning. Therefore, any assistance that Givedirectly will give to me that will improve me and my family lives will be highly appreciated.
