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 ($468 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
"No life humiliate the most as a life lived in poverty. What has been ringing into my mind from the moment I knew I would receive transfer from GiveDirectly was buying more cattle for the family. Increase the number of my livestock has been my greatest dream. Thanks to GiveDirectly this was a dream come true since I now own about Three cows from GiveDirectly."
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
"In my opinion,from what I have witnessed GiveDirectly does in the community, I am pleased to support that GiveDirectly has been doing a great job. You can't imagine the smiles GiveDirectly has placed on the people's faces moreso our village of Kapamban. People have used the transfers in things that are noticeable. Ranging from building houses to buying more cattle to taking children back to school. We no longer lack food in our family because we were also able to start a business. Giving out unconditional cash transfers to the less prevelege in the society is the greatest gift we ever received. The fact that the approaches used in determining household and individuals to benefit from the transfer was a plus for me. So far I haven't noticed anything negative that I would mention."
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
We have been living in an abject poverty for a long time. The life we lived before receiving this transfers were quite painful as it deprived us of peace of mind all the time. GiveDirectly indeed came at the right time when we needed the cash the most. A mother of two, life was never easy amidst COVID-19. The money meant a lot to us. We hardly had even enough utensils in the house. The transfer assisted in adding more cattles into the compound. I bought 2 cows totalling to KES 30,000. I expanded by business of selling vegetables and tomatoes. I added more stock worth KES 4,000. I bought kitchen utensils plus some good beddings since my children have been sleeping in the floor. Sleeping on the floor did not only caught my children with common cold but it also deprived them of their.I spend over about KES 14,000 in buying beddings, mattress and utensils Thank to GiveDirectly my family now have a better place to sleep.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($485 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The moment I received my transfer I was at the farm tending to my crops, That was when I decided to check my phone to see what time it was because the sun was already scorchy, that was when I saw a Mpesa notification showing that I had received a sum of KES 55,000 from GiveDirectly, the excitement was too much that I did not continue with what I was doing, Instead, I went back home so that I could plan on how I would spend the transfer.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my life is that I was able to plaster my house which was my most priority, words cannot express how grateful I am to have received the transfer that impacted my life positively by improving my living standard, I was unable to plaster the house before due to the unreliable source of income and also responsibilities of taking care of my two children, I am so happy and grateful.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received my transfer, I thought of completing my house that was left halfway because I had no money, I am a casual labourer in the village, therefore I depend on the wages that I earn to make a living, though, it is not a reliable source of income, therefore I decided to use KES 27,000 in plastering my house, I then used the remaining amount of money to buy foodstuffs and clothes, I am relieved that my house is now decent and that I was able to realise my goal.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means starting a grocery business. I will be selling vegetables in various markets to earn about KES 500 per day. This income will help me to provide food for the household where we spend about KES 100 per day.To strta this business, I will spend about KES 30,0000. I will then save part of these these proceeds and invest it on crop farming or buy livestock. I will spend about 50,000, to plaster the house and furnish it. It is a beginning of a new life.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In the last six months, building new houses, a kitchen and a separate house to sleep in has brought me happiness. I have been living in a grass thatched, mud walled hut. It doubled up as a kitchen and a living room. It was too old and its roof was always leaking whenever it rained. Completing these timber walled house has improved my home since it does not leak and is cleaner because there is no more dust from the mud walls.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I do not have a source of income. I rely on casual jobs, earning about KES 100 per day. Keeping in mind that we spend about KES 150 daily, it is difficult to provide enough food for my children. This is the biggest challenge that I face.
