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.
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($456 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?
The current goal that I am working to accomplish is to complete the construction of a business house. I started building the house using the remains of the second transfer after buying the materials, but unfortunately, the construction came to a halt because of insufficient funds. Since I have a shop business where I sell foodstuff and some personal effects, through the savings I make I will complete the construction. Once done, I will be pleased to have double income-generating activities.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did a well-thought strategy of providing funds unconditionally to households. This money impacted the locals positively because they did things they thought were undoable because of poverty. GiveDirectly values human growth and is a life-changing organization. I am happy for the organization because it gave me a focus on rental houses and opened my mind. I am now working tirelessly to see my goal come to pass.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I desired to build a rental house. This is because rental houses do not disappoint in profit-making. Therefore, using the second transfer, I used KES 30000.00 to buy a trip of 15000 building blocks. For the remaining amount, I used it to buy some cement and paid a starting labor charge to the contractor. I am absolutely happy with the progress I made using the transfer, and I am sure of completing what I started.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($474 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 busy cutting trees so I could start manufacturing charcoal when I got a message confirming that I had received funds from give directly. I immediately called my husband who works in a different town to inform him of the good news. He was very excited as I was and advised me to wait until he returned home so we could plan together the best way to use the funds. I did so and a week later he was home, so, we decided to buy a motorcycle 4 easy locomotion like taking the children to school and going to fetch water.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Before I received these funds, my children would have a 1-hour walk to school every morning. To be on time for their classes, they were forced to wake up at 5 am. This made them cry and complain about being very tired. Other times, they would refuse to go to school. This changed after we received the transfer from give directly, they now wake up at 7 am as we bought a motorcycle that we use for movement and every morning my children wake up excited to go to school.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used KES 50,000 to buy a motorbike and KES 5000 to cover our meal budget. Since we lived very far from town and also schools were not within our reach, we would often walk long distances to get the commodities we needed and also take the children to learn. We saw the bike as a solution to this, plus it has reduced the expenses we incur whenever we buy water by more than 50%. The children who would wake up at 5 am now wake up at 7 am and they no longer trek for an hour to get to the institution which made them so tired that they would frequently complain and even repudiate going to school.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have always wanted to own livestock. To have a goat or two I can call my own. These transfers will fulfill this need. I will buy five goats for a start. A goat sells for 3500 KES. I will raise the herds and soon have a position in my community where we also own livestock.
For the remaining amount, I will prioritize school fees for my two children in primary school and the purchase of food.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am grateful I was blessed to see the new year, the previous year was challenging especially due to the drought. Crossing this new came with hopes of a better year with possible rainfall. I am still hoping the heavens will open up and pour rain.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I burn charcoal for a living, it is strenuous to cut the trees but I have to because it is the main source of income in our land. I have to go deep into the forest to get the tress, the quality of the tree determines the kind of charcoal one will burn and return it affects the profit. I sell a bag of charcoal for 700 KES, in a good day I can get seven bags but on the bad days which are more, I can get about three bags. This is once in a week or a month. The profit I make goes to food and school fees for my children.
