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 ($501 USD)
access_time 4 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My children were constantly sent home due to the huge fee arrears that was outstanding. I am thankful to GiveDirectly because I managed to clear their school fees on time and they were allowed to continue with their studies. I am also boasting of owning livestock which includes goats, a heifer and a bull that I am currently keeping in my homestead. I am expecting the heifer and the goats to reproduce and have many of them. I will be getting milk from the heifer. The bull is helping me in ploughing my farm.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GIveDirectly does well in ensuring that our lives have changed through their financial help. We have been able to educate our children and also building new houses. In addition to all these, we also own livestock that we acquired through the transfer. These are to us assets which we can rely on in case of financial needs. I do not see anything that GiveDirectly does not do well.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I spent KES 11000 of my second transfer to pay fees for my daughter who was in high school. She was now allowed to continue with her studies because I was able to pay for her on time. I also bought a bull at KES 18000 so that I could make a complete pair to help me in my farming. I was hiring from the neighbours during the planting season which was costly to me. I am glad that I have my own oxen now and I won't be incurring any expenses on ploughing unlike before. I spent the remaining amount to buy foodstuffs and paying for other household needs.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($537 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
Having expanded my retail shop has made my life to be very different. This was my major source of income since my spouse is old, this was the business we were depending on. It reached a time when we consumed the profits due to the poverty life that we lived in. We were forced to take some loans so that we can boost the business. Finally, we had to close down the kiosk because we were running into debts. I am so thankful to GD for the financial support because I never expected anytime soon the business will start again. My business is now doing okay since there is enough stock and capital as well. From the profit that I am getting, I am now able to pay school fees for my child and cater for other basic needs for my family.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 3 am when I received a message from mpesa indicating transfers had been sent from GiveDirectly. I felt happy and I thanked God for using Give Directly to relieve us from poverty and suffering that we have gone through as a household.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent a larger portion of my first transfer on clearing school fees for my children who were in college and secondary school. They had been staying home for months because of the huge fee balances. I then bought a dairy cow for rearing. Besides that, I also bought some stock for my business because initially, it had collapsed and it was my main source of income. With the remaining amount, I bought some foodstuffs and other household items for my family.
Enrolled
access_time over 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means I will be able to meet my family's basic needs of food and education with much ease. This I will do by boosting my business of preparing breakfast delicacies such as damplines and 'chapati' so I can increase my income. I will also invest in assets such as livestock specifically indigenous goats because of their drought resistant nature and affordability.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Nothing gives me more satisfaction than my business. I love what I do and my customers love and appreciate my products. I mostly do the cooking and selling of 'chapati' and damplines in the morning which makes it the best part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
From the little income I make, two dollars a day, from my business of preparing 'chapati' and damplines, I cannot sufficiently meet the needs in my household such as food and school fees for my children. As a result, we sometimes are not able to afford a meal or two and my children are frequently sent away from school to collect fee balances. The most affected being my first born girl in secondary school whose fees are higher than her five siblings still in primary school.
