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
55000 KES ($471 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My family (my wife and 4-month-old baby) and I live in a squeezed two-roomed house. My new goal is to expand the house by adding two more rooms. This will make it spacious enough to accommodate more people. So, the earnings I get from the mini-market business I started using the funds I got from give directly, and from my farming business, I believe will help me achieve this goal.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Give directly has done very well through the cash donation program. I have been uplifted as I was able to get the capital, I needed to start a mini-market business which has helped boost my finances. I can now provide for my family better. I have not seen any area where the organization has not done well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have a two-acre piece of land where I specialize in maize and bean farming. When I got the funds from give directly, to improve my finances, I used them to finish building the mini market I started constructing after I got my first transfer. It's now complete and stocked up. Daily, I make sales of KES 2000. I then invested the remaining amount in my farming business. I can now support my four-month-old baby and wife better.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($484 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I remember I was just doing my normal daily hustles to provide for my family when I hear my phone ring, at first, I was hesitant to look at it because I thought it was just a normal text messages from local mobile networks. I didn't believe my eyes when I finally open the message, this was the first time to receiving such amount of money. I was so happy about it and I called my wife to inform her and I could heard the joy in her voice.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I can afford three meals a day compered to before when I could only afford one. My family also got to relax comfortably on seat after tiring day and we can walk around with decent clothes.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a mason for the longest time, I have been wanting to support my wife who is a tailor build her career. This has never been possible because of the little income that I earn as a local mason. My goal was to build her a shop on our land where she can put up her tailoring business and a general shop. This transfers came in hand when I needed it most because I also needed to buy some chairs and a table because I didn't have any. I spent KES 30,000 on buying iron sheets and timber which I used to roof the shop, KES 15000 on buying seats and a table and spend the rest in buying enough food for the family and clothing. I'm so happy that soon my wife will start working from our shop and we'll be able to save since she will nolonger be paying rent.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means financial security. My wife is a tailor and she works far from our home and she commutes daily. It has been my dream to help her relocate her business close to our home. She spend KES 50 to and from her work place. The money she uses for transportation has to come from her daily income which is also not consistent. Besides that she is expectant and she is using motorcycle as means of transport which not safe for her pregnancy.So when I get this money I would construct a kiosk selling household items and my wife can do her tailoring within the same shop at the same time be the shopkeeper to cut down costs. To construct it I will spend KES 50000 of my transfer and KES 30000 as starting capital. This business will be our source of income and I won't have to rely much on casual jobs where I work as a carpenter.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My dad gave me a job to construct a water tank for him. He paid me KES 5500 which I used to purchase two goats. This was my biggest achievement and it brought joy and happiness into my life. I also got the motivation to work hard to purchase more goats who will be our source of income in the future.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest challenge is financial constraints. Where my wife does her job of tailoring is rented and she pays KES 1500 per month. Her work is not consistent sometimes she only gets clothes repair clothes at KES 20 per garment and the same money she gets to become her transportation fee and purchase. This has been a challenge to sustain her business yet I do a casual job as a masonry paid KES 700 per day only when there is construction work.
