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 ($522 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
It has never been easy to be a single mother who only depended on a meager income from teaching in a near by primary school for a living. This income was barely enough most so when my two children got to join college and secondary school respectively. I had to take up loans and pay for their education and on those times when I could not settle them on it . I got threats from the lenders which made me live a life full of stress and hopelessness . The biggest difference in my life is the joy and happiness I have after settling school fees for my children because they attend school with no worries of being sent home due to arrears. Secondly, I have been able to meet the family's needs with a lot of ease since I no longer borrow money from neighbors or lenders.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly its a trustworthy organisation since while conducting enrollment it factored in voluntary participation. It is not biased meaning it did not work with village elders but rather used guided and this bring out their dependence . I appreciate the fact that their field staffs were polite and friendly . Personally I do not see what GiveDirectly did wrong at their work.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent the larger part of my second transfer on buying a solar lamp and its battery 26,000 KES. Today , I am happy that my house is fully lit . I was able to fence my compound hence we are now safe from unwanted visitors and stray animals who would make us quite uncomfortable. The remaining amount I have saved in my Mpesa account 8000 KES for my son's school fees next year .
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($532 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I have bought a dairy cow. I had always wished to buy a cow but I couldn't due to scarce resources. I used to get milk daily from the cow I had borrowed from one of my neighbors and he wanted to sell it recently. I depend on casual jobs and small scale farming to earn an income to meet the basic needs of the family. I am glad that soon, I will have enough milk for my family consumption and surplus to sell to earn an income to meet other needs. I no longer do much of the casual jobs as I have devoted much of my time on my farm looking after my cow which is easier. I am so much happy because GiveDirectly has made my life better by adding me such an asset.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was at 3 am when I was still sleeping when I received a message notification on my phone. Since the volume of the incoming messages was loud, it made me wake up instantly. I became so happy and waited impatiently for dawn so that I would go and withdraw my money. I knew that this money would enable me to achieve the plans I had already laid down.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
It had been challenging meeting my household's daily basic needs due to scare resources and unstable income from casual jobs. When I received my first transfer I majorly spent it on my family improvement. I spent part of it to buy a dairy cow and two lambs as added assets to family resources. I am happy that soon I will not be spending on milk again and I will have offsprings to sell in case of a financial crisis. I took another portion to pay school fees for my son in college. I am glad that he will have a humble time in school to pursue his dream.
Enrolled
access_time over 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Education of my children is my greatest value. I am planning to spend 20,000 KES of my first transfer to pay fees for my second born son in the university. While I understand he's going to need more money next year, receiving this money will also grant me an opportunity to invest in poultry farming as source of income. I am so grateful to GiveDirectly.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Being a teacher, most of my time is spent in school. The happiest part of my day is in the evening when I am home with two of my children. Being an education enthusiast, coaching them every evening while monitoring their progress fills me with much happiness. Having gone through a bitter past, seeing them work hard accords me with hope for a fruitful future.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
After investing so much time and money in my matrimonial home my husband and I separated about ten years ago. When I came to this village then, life was hard I hardly knew where to start. I had to strain so hard to purchase a piece of land, build and shoulder all responsibility of educating my four children. Since I am a primary school teacher, this alone cannot cater for the umpteen needs in my household especially my children's education costs. I have depended too much on bank loans and my worry is that repayment may become overwhelming. This is the biggest part of my life.
