GiveDirectly: Send money directly to the extreme poor

2nd Payment

Transfer Amount

53150 KES ($501 USD)

over 4 years ago

How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?

I used to own one cow before I sold it in order to pay for my spouse's school fees. After that, I had not gotten enough resources to help me buy another cow. When these transfers came, I decided to spend a big portion of it to buy a few cows. Frow how it helped me pay the school fees before, I know these cows would be of help to me in the future apart from the supply of milk.

In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?

I loved that there was no favoritism by the staff in how the project was conducted and the fact that they decided to help us improve our livelihoods. The project was well done and I would not change anything.

What did you spend your second transfer on?

I spent a small portion of the transfer to build a poultry house for rearing chicken and I am planning to buy cows with the rest of the transfers once the livestock market is opened.

Initial Payment

Transfer Amount

55000 KES ($546 USD)

almost 5 years ago

Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.

When I bought a dairy cow. I reduced the number of menial jobs that I had been doing, working for others in order to put food on the table. Instead of toiling to get money for milk and other foodstuffs, I have started to produce the milk on my farm from the dairy cow. I also sell part of the milk and use it to buy other foodstuffs that we need as a household. Having an income is a path that has saved me. My life is better now with cattle than before. I f I had not received the money from GiveDirectly, I would still be suffering having to work for other people.

Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?

I was extremely happy. I thought to myself that I would finally buy a dairy cow. It is very difficult to run a family when one does not have a source of milk because it is a daily utility. Buying it is also very expansive. Most of my neighbors earn a living through milk production which was one more reason that fueled my desire to own one too.

What did you spend your first transfer on?

I spent the money I received on buying a cow. Owning a dairy cow has been among my priorities but I was unable to buy it from my meager income. I mainly get money from working for other peoples on their farms. I then bought farm inputs, maize, and beans. I also bought some clothes for the household. I then made sure that we would have enough food for at least one month in the household to buy buying some foodstuffs.

Enrolled

almost 5 years ago

What does receiving this money mean to you?

Receiving this money means venturing into poultry farming as well as sheep rearing, a project i have always wished to set up but lack of finances has been my biggest challenge; thanks to GD for coming in handy to make this wish come to reality. I also plan to buy a dairy cow which will act as my daily source of income whenever i sell milk, thus supplementing the income from selling eggs from my poutry.

What is the happiest part of your day?

Waking up each day in sound health and with peace of mind gives me more energy and motivation that i will be able to achieve the set goals for the day thus making mornings the happiest part of my day

What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?

In 2018, I sold the only two Friesian dairy cattle i had to educate my spouse who latter cleared school and eloped with another man leaving me desperate. This is what made me lag behind in terms of development now that i thought she could clear school, get employed and support me in developing my family. I am now struggling to rise up again after the loss by practising farming so as to make ends me but it is so dissapoinying that my 0.5 acre piece of land is unproductive due to unpredictable rains as well as soil borne diseases. This is the biggest hardship i face