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 ($463 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?
. When I received my first transfer, I was able to invest KES 40000 in my botique business by buying stock for that business. I also used KES 5000 to buy a blow dry machine to replace an old one that I was using. It is a business that I had been running before but due to lack of capital and overwhelming needs from my family, the business was at the verge of collapsing. The business is currently doing very well giving me a net profit of up to KES 1500 per day. It is my new goal therefore to use the money to make other investments that will see my family be more independent financially going into the future. I already bought one additional livestock of KES 10000 recently from the profits that I made. This and much more will enable me as a parent to not only pay school fees comfortably for my child but also meet other emergency needs for my family. I am so grateful to GiveDirectly for awakening my dreams. The money came at a time when I had felt so helpless.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly does well in enrolling everyone indiscriminately. They did so without bias and this gave all of us an opportunity to grow our business and make other spending decisions depending on the needs prevailing at that time. I am personally very grateful that I was given an opportunity to choose how to spend my money and I chose to revive my boutique business and I couldnt be more happy than I am right now.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used KES 20000 to buy a young heifer and used another KES 2000 to buy a solar pannel on hire purchase terms. The remaining amount was used to increase stock of my botique business and I am glad that the business is really doing well. Livestock is a thriving investment in my area since we have large gracing fileds that are open to all members of the public hence the decision to buy one. The botique business is something I have always been passionate about but which I have always been slowed down from it duue to lack of capital. I am grateful to GiveDiirectly that the business is now up and running giving me profits of up to KES 1500 per day. The savings that I make from this business shall enable me to make other meaningful investments for my family and also pay school fees for my child who is now in his secondary school. I look forward to achieving more in the coming days.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($484 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 9.30pm while heading home from my salon work when I heard an SMS alert on my phone. On checking it was KES55000 from GiveDirectly, I was very happy the whole night because my dream of adding stock to business had come true.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is availability of adequate capital to buy my own salon stock hence more income.Before GiveDirectly transfers, I used to make KES 800 a day but now can now make upto KES2000 on a good day and this can go upto KES5000 during festive seasons. Initially, I used to make alot of losses but now I make lots of profits because I have enough stock which helps sustain the business.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES25000 on a hair blow dryer and other salon stock to make my salon work more effective because the one I had initially got spoilt. As a saloonist, I normally rely on daily income to stock my salon.I also spent KES15000 on a heifer as a long term investment because I didn't have one. I spent KES5000 on payment of my son's school fees.The rest on food and clothing.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Since my childhood, I have been praying and asking God to get us out of extreme poverty. Eventually, my prayer has been answered. Thank you, Jesus. This is because receiving this money means a financially stable future and a better livelihood for us. I will buy a cow using KES 30000 since currently, we own none. This is an invaluable investment for us; in the future, we shall have offspring and milk for sale. Also, I will spend KES 20000 on acquiring more stock for my salon business to increase my daily income from KES 300 to over KES 600. Finally, I will utilize the remaining amount on purchasing another 0.1 acres of land to expand the 0.1 acres that we currently have. We need more space to accommodate us and our livestock.
What is the happiest part of your day?
About four months ago, my only child joined a prestigious secondary school (Kericho High School) after performing exceptionally well in his examinations. This has attracted lots of happiness to me because I strongly believe that education is the sole way through which we can fight poverty in our family. Though I depend mainly on well-wishers to raise school fees for my son, I am hopeful of a brighter future.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
I am an unmarried mother of one who struggles to make ends meet with the little income (KES 300 daily) from my salon business, and I have no space for doing farming. Specifically, I have been having debts almost always since we survive by acquiring most of our essential items in credit form. I am much disturbed by the debts. Also, raising school fees (KES 40000 a year) for my son who has just begun secondary school studies is the toughest challenge I am facing. Being born to a poor single parent also has made things worse. I had nothing to inherit from her yet I was forced to drop out of school at an early age due to a lack of fees. So, I have no skills or knowledge to secure a formal job.
