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 ($442 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My initial plan was to buy two points of an acre of land which would have taken up the whole amount of transfers received from GiveDirectly. And since I wanted to put up a structure in that land, I would not have had any money to do so. I therefore decided to buy a smaller piece of land than earlier planned to allow me remain with some money for construction of the house. Once I build the house, I'd want to move and settle in that land fully.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
I loved that Givedirectly gave us the assistance in cash rather than in kind, that comes with the freedom to chose what spend the transfer on because different individuals have different needs. I am also glad that the transfers was sent in lump sum, giving us the opportunity to do some good projects. All the planning and enrollment was done well in my opinion
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I topped up the transfer received with what I had saved from the first transfer and bought a small piece of land. Having this land will allow me the independence and peace that I so much want. I am currently living in my parent's, which comes with family misunderstandings oftenly with my brothers, hence the need for me to move. I am planning to build a small house in the piece with the remaining amount of transfer
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($475 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was 10 am and I was at home in my kitchen garden busy weeding. I had my phone with me but I did not hear it ringing since the place that I was had poor network coverage. It was until I was done with what I was doing and moved to another location is when I saw that I had a new message. I opened it and wow! I could not believe my eyes when I read the SMS which was saying that I had received KES 55000 from GiveDirectly. I was so happy that I found myself crying with joy. I thanked God for the blessing since I knew that I was now going to be able to fulfill the plans that I had already made.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The transfer has brought a big difference in my life and that of my family. I now have hopes that I am going to finally be able to buy the piece of land that I have wished to have. I will thus be able to have somewhere that I can move to and live with my children in peace.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent only KES 5000 of my recent transfer on buying some clothes for my children. The ones that they had, had grown old. I then saved the remaining amount since I had already planned that I was going to combine it with the second transfer and use it to buy a piece of land. I plan to buy two points of an acre whereby a point is going for KES 40000 in our area. I want to buy the piece of land because I am still living at home with my four children. Sometimes family wrangles occur between me and my brothers. Our parents already passed on and hence life has not been easy for me and my children since then. It has thus been always my wish to have somewhere where I can move to and live with my children in peace. I was not in a position to achieve this before since I didn't have the money. I usually earn a living for my children through growing vegetables and selling them at the market places. I also usually buy and sell avocados. The money that I make is thus not much. I am thus so much grateful to GiveDirectly for their big support.
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am a single mother of 5. I separated from my husband sometimes in 2014, I have lived a life of destitution and stressful since then, fending for my children alone is an uphill task. This was made worse when my mother passed on in 2020, she used to support my children. In our kipsigis culture, once you are married you are not given any asset by the parents. It is against this background that I never inherited any land from my parents and therefore I do not have land of my own. God works in a way that is beyond our understanding, I never imagine that I will ever get the money to buy land. It was a dream that was so far. Fortunately, am now certain of owning a piece of land now that this help is here, intend to use KES 80000 to buy 0.2 acres of land and use the remaining amount to construct a house in the same land.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I had planted vegetables last November and they did so well because there were adequate rainfall. At the moment I am selling them and it has sustained my family alot. Last week, I send KES 500 for upkeep to my son who is in Kabianga university. That has brought me a lot of happiness since I get the much-needed disposable income.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
There is a myriad of challenges, but notable the problem of raising school fees is a major one. I have 1 boy who is in University and 2 girls who are in secondary schools. I am yet to clear the last term fees arrears of KES 27000 plus this term fee of KES 26000. I sometimes pay in kind like delivering maize and beans. The school principal has been kind enough to allow me to pay over along time because he sees the effort that I put. It is the hope that has kept me otherwise I could have broken down.
