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.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($434 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 goal is to start a grocery business so that I have a reliable source of income. At the moment, I depend on charcoal vending which is no longer sustainable due to the depletion of forest cover and its effect on climate change. Owning an alternative source of income specifically a grocery shop will aid in meeting most of our basic needs like food. Additionally, I will realize economically self-dependence since will no longer rely on my spouse for most of the family's necessities.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly does well in enrolling every poor household in the village without necessarily requiring any payment from them. Additionally, being independent in deciding which household qualified for the program was a good idea. In my opinion, I do not see anything that they would improve to make the processes better. It would be better to maintain the same.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
For many years, I have desired to own a decent house for my family. Being enrolled in GiveDirectly's program was a dream come true for me. I spent a larger portion of my recent transfer improving the condition of our structure by constructing an additional room. The one we were having earlier was very small to fully accommodate our family of 5 members, 3 kids and 2 adults, together with the household items. In addition, I bought a new door for $50 since the one we were having had broken and was risky, especially at night. I am very grateful living in a nice spacious house courtesy of the transfers.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($480 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was at home taking breakfast after completing my morning chores of looking for water for my family. It was around 9 am when I received the message notification on my phone. Upon checking, I was shocked to see the Mpesa message indicating that I had received the transfer from GiveDirectly. I was very happy for receiving my transfer which marked the beginning of a decent life. I immediately called my husband to inform him about the good news and promised to return home for us to arrange before we could spend the transfer.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Being able to connect tap water to my house will be the biggest difference in my life. I am optimistic that I will have enough water for my family and the neighbors something that will make our lives more comfortable. The income from the sale of water I will use to pay the water bills as well as solve some of my financial challenges.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 5,000 to purchase a mattress for my kids, they were using an old one which was not comfortable and they always complain of body pain after sleep. I also used KES 9,000 to acquire new clothes for every member of my family this is because we were wearing old and torn clothes which were very embarrassing for me. I am planning to use the remaining amount to connect tap water to my house for household consumption as well as sell some to my neighbors to earn a living. This is because we currently get water at a long distance.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have been living in the same mud house I found here when I got married. Currently it's waak and two of it's walls collapsed recently during the last rainy season. I would like to repair this house first off when I get this money. This is by reinforcing and cementing walls, buying a bigger solar panel to accommodate more light bulbs, as well as getting some new seats totaling to about 65000 KES. When all that is done, I would also start a business to eek out my husband's income.
What is the happiest part of your day?
During my last pregnancy I had frequent belly pains. These could cease for a week then on again. Most of this time I had to stay in Kilifi with my husband for the ease of access to hospitals. Each time I visited, doctors told me it's a deficiency in my diet causing that. I was already scared and I thought I was going to have complications during delivery. What was even more scary was the fact that my husband didn't even have money at that time for any emergency cesarean. But that didn't happen! Infact, it was the shortest and the easiest of all three deliveriesI have had so far. This made me happy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I do not have any source of income at the moment. This has been weighing me down a lot. The same reason our plans as a family can't even materialize. My husband makes only 1000 KES daily whenever he has a job, being a casual labuoror in construction sites. But still you can't tell when is the next job. This way we can not fully depend on his earning.
