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 ($461 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?
My new goal is to build a chicken coop so that I can keep chicken.This business will give me extra income.After receiving my first transfer, I bought a motorcycle with my first transfer and currently I am doing business so that I can start up.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Give directly did well by boosting our poor living standards. Every household in my village appreciates the support they received from the kind officers who conducted barazas and also who enrolled us in the program.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
After receiving my second transfer I prioritized the construction of three-bedroomed houses. I spent KES 26,000 on purchasing all construction materials inclusive of labor. I am planning to start a family hence they will find a conducive environment to stay in. With KES 18,000, I bought a heifer. I did have a cow before hence this will be of great help in the future since it will give me milk for consumption. With the remaining part of the transfer, I spent buying clothes.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($501 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I still remember vividly that it was still early in the morning as I was preparing to go to work when I received my transfer. I became so happy as it was my first time to ever own and see such an amount of money reflect in my account as the highest amount I have ever had is KES 5000.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
When my current daily life is compared to how it was before, I can say that it has changed a lot. This is because I have been able to start saving some money unlike before when I would spend all my income on food. Due to this, I have been able to purchase 8 pieces of iron sheets that I am planning to use in building myself a more decent house and four chickens using these savings. This has been possible since I was able to purchase a motorcycle that I am using to offer taxi services in the neighborhood using my transfers and as a result, my daily income has increased from KES 200 to KES 400.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received my transfer, I spent KES 45000 to purchase a second-hand motorcycle so that I can be using it to offer taxi services in the neighborhood. Before receiving the transfer, I had been employed by one of my neighbors and I would make at least KES 500 a day after fueling it and setting aside KES 50 for lunch. I would be paid KES 200 from the amount I made in a day and sometimes KES 100 when the business was down. After studying and seeing how lucrative the business was especially during peak days, I had always desired to own my own motorcycle. From the remaining amount, I spent KES 3500 to purchase a goat as a way of investing this money and spent the remaining KES 6200 on beddings and some personal clothes to replace old ones.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am an experienced motorcycle rider and I have been using it for the past four years. The motorbike belongs to my brother who had acquired it on hire purchase terms. The agreement is I should be paying 2,636 shillings weekly to the firm and another 500 shillings to the owner(my brother). On average, I usually get 3,500 shillings weekly, and subtracting the weekly debt from this amount, I remain with less than 400 shillings. This remainder is hardly enough to sustain my needs. Receiving this money means that I will be able to buy a brand new motorbike for 105,000 shillings. All the income I get from the business will be for maintenance, savings, and catering of my necessities.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Being a motorbike rider, I spend most of my daytime carrying a passenger within the confines of my area of operation. The happiest part of my day is in the morning since this is the rush hour for most passengers. It is at this time of the day that I get more money as passengers are rushing to their place of work. This means I usually get good money during the morning hours.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Getting a reliable source of income has been the biggest hardship that I have ever experienced. Currently, I am a motorbike rider operating within the proximity of my sub-county. The motorbike belongs to my brother who charges an average of 3,000 shillings weekly. My average weekly income is 3,500 and this means that I remain with 500 shillings. This amount is hardly enough to sustain my necessities like food and clothing. As a result, I will continue working from hand to mouth until I land a good job.
