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 ($435 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?
In the next two years, I hope to have made good profits from the sugarcane and bananas I have planted, so that I can venture into the chicken business because I feel like it is more reliable due to climate change which is riskier to crops.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
What Give Directly is doing well is giving unconditional and free transfers, this is very helpful because we are becoming financially educated when handling money and also very responsible, especially to women who were not allowed to control money or give monetary opinions in their households.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
When I received my second transfer, I bought a cow worth $200 which recently gave birth and produces about 10 liters of milk on a daily basis, enough to be used at home and for sale locally, I have been able to provide for a family of ten ever since I started selling milk, this is a huge milestone for us because before Give Directly transfers, we could only manage to eat once a day or sometimes even go a whole day without food.
I also bought a piece of land with $330 that I am looking to start planting bananas and sugarcane so that I can generate enough income to educate my children and ensure that we will at least afford basic needs like any other normal household.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($481 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was on my farm which is located near the water well when I heard people inquiring from each other whether they had received their transfers. I immediately left what I was doing and rushed back home so that I would check if I had also received mine since I had left my phone at home. My heart was filled with joy upon confirming the receipt and I immediately called my spouse who was equally overjoyed on hearing the news and promised that he would help me cash it out the following day.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
My children are still young and they have been inquiring why their grandmother has a dairy cow while we did not have any. With the transfer, we were able to acquire one and to restock the shop that my spouse was running as it was on the verge of collapsing. This has made my daily life and that of my family different since we are in a position where we can provide for our basic needs without much struggle.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Buying milk daily is expensive and we saw the need of having our cow so that we can have milk for our consumption and for sale to earn an income. In addition, our family business that my spouse runs has not been doing well of late since my spouse used most of the money meant for buying more stock to pay for my school fees. As a recent graduate, I have been teaching at our neighboring school and I have been using my salary to support him in paying for our basic needs. Because of this, we spent KES 30000from our transfer on a dairy cow and used the remaining amount to expand this business by restocking it.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
It has been a long-term plan for me to own several dairy cows. I completed my university education two months ago and I am yet to secure a job. For the last four years, I have been consistently paying school fees so I have not been able to purchase any property. This is therefore the best time for me to start my goal of having a dairy farm. I plan to use KES 30,000 to purchase a dairy cow. Receiving this money, therefore, means I will be able to fulfill my long-term dream. For the rest of the amount I plan to improve my poultry farm, fence it off well, and purchase chicken feeds.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I completed school two months ago set to graduate in four months. I am so proud of myself since this is my best achievement so far. I am also happy that I have completed school despite the challenges of having a family, raising two children and financial challenges.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The main challenge at the moment is insufficient finances. My husband's retail shop business has not been doing well lately due to the effects of Covid-19. The proceeds from the business were used to pay my school fee and for my two children in primary school. He has been the breadwinner since I have been in school for the last four years and I am yet to secure a job. Getting enough finances to provide a healthy balanced diet for two young children has also been a challenge as we purchase almost all foodstuff including milk and maize flour.
