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 ($441 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?
Receiving money from GiveDirectly has been of a great impact on my life. Thus, I am grateful. At the moment, I do not have any new goals due to financial constraints but I am so grateful.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, our lives were lifted to higher standards. This is because I was able to purchase a parcel of land that I thought was impossible due to financial constraints. So far, I have not witnessed any form of inefficiency in the work that GiveDirectly is doing.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Purchasing a parcel of land was among my top priorities. This is because I needed to expand my land since the one that I own is small. Upon the receipt of my second transfer, I topped up KES 20,000 from my second transfer to secure land worth KES 70,000. Secondly, I used the remaining amount on purchasing foodstuffs. I am a businesswoman specialising in selling ropes within and outside the village. The financial assistance was of great impact thus I am grateful for the financial support that uplifted my living standard.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($477 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 6 am while taking breakfast when I received a message alert on my phone. On checking, I confirmed to have received KES 55,000 from GiveDirectly. I was very happy and left the breakfast for the nearest mobile money agent.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Owning a quarter an acre of land is the biggest difference since I received my transfers. I had desired to buy it for the past 12 years but could not afford it. But GiveDirectly came right on time.
Additionally, I am also grateful because through the transfers I have access to adequate necessities like food and clothing. These I couldn't afford before but GiveDirectly made it possible.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a single mum of three. This is after my separation from my husband about 12 years ago. Since then I have been living on my parents' land. To feed my family I rely on rope weaving, small-scale farming, and casual labor. From the rope weaving, on a good day especially on market days, I usually get up to KES 700.
So on the arrival of GiveDirectly transfers, I used KES 45,000 as a down payment for the purchase of a quarter of an acre of land. This is because since I separated from my husband I have always desired to own my land. And the transfers have made my dream come true.
Furthermore, I spent KES 5,000 on the latest clothing fashion which has made my family look neater, especially on occasions.
Similarly, I used KES 4,000 on a bag of maize which has fed my family for the past month. But earlier on, I used to buy eight kilos of maize meal at KES 400 from rope weaving.
The remainder will sustain us also for the next one month.
Lastly, l spent KES 1,000 on other food and household items
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I am a single mother of four children, this is after we separated with my husband for 10 years ago now. My parents offered me a place to stay with my children. I then decided to start a business of plaiting ropes and selling them in a nearby market. Averagely I can earn KES1000 during the market days. This is what we use to buy food and other basic necessities like school uniforms. I am delighted that the ambition of buying a piece of land and building a house will be come to reality. I plan to use the first transfers to buy a piece of land at a cost of KES40,000. The second transfers will cater for building materials and labour charges.
What is the happiest part of your day?
For the past 3 months, I was able to buy around 5 bags of maize which has sustained us in the family. I did this out of the savings that I had done 4 months ago. My children are happy that they can afford a meal and continue with their studies comfortably.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The main challenge that I currently face is lack of a spacious house. I managed to build a small structure with the little amount that I had saved. My children are now growing and currently one of my girls has to sleep with the neighbours. I really feel humiliated about this situations. My intention is to have them stay closely together with me at any given point. This will help in monitoring their behaviour as they grow.
