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 ($401 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?
Depending on a single source of income can sometimes be stressful and uncertain when the salary is delayed. Therefore, as a side hustle, I hope to venture into the motorcycle spare parts business. I am an experienced mechanic, and handling such a job will not be a bother. From the income, I will comfortably provide for my family of five since the $200 I earn from the tutor job at the vocational college is insufficient to cater to all the family's needs.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
With the changes in economic times, handling a thousand Kenyan shillings note is almost uncertain, and the largest amount you can have at any given time might be 100 shillings. I am happy with the large transfers GiveDirectly provided to the recipients in the community. Through this, the community has reached out to greater goals that are life-changing. If only the organization could initiate the provision of hardware for one to begin a business, then one could be lifted to a different level.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Certain lifestyles depend on the job. As one earns more money, the expectations are higher from the surrounding community, for they view one differently. Because of such repercussions, I had to begin constructing a permanent five-room house aside from the mud-walled house I currently live in so as to maintain the status of a tutor. I am an engineer by profession but am employed as a tutor at a vocational college in Bomet. I am glad that the transfers came in handy, as I was able to purchase building material using all the transfers I received, and now I am at the finishing end, which will not require much money as I will use my $200 monthly income towards this course.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($419 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
Receiving the money from GiveDirectly brought me great joy, especially because I needed to buy more construction materials at the time. I was immediately curious and checked it when I received a message at around 4:00 p.m. The message was simple, and I knew it was from GiveDirectly because I was not expecting anything similar from anyone else. I used some of the money to buy construction materials on the same day after informing my wife, who was working at a nearby school. The next day, I went to a nearby shopping center to gather and purchase additional necessities.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Receiving payments from GiveDirectly has had a significant impact on my daily life, with the ability to purchase construction materials being the most significant difference. With the entire transfer, I was able to purchase the materials needed to raise the walls of my new home to the lintel. This was a critical step in the construction process that I could not have completed without the financial support of GiveDirectly. GiveDirectly's support has given me hope and enabled me to pursue my dream of building a comfortable home for my family of five.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I had just started building a new house when I enrolled for GiveDirectly's free cash transfer. I was excited to do a lot with the money, and even though I had a lot of projects in mind, I was optimistic that the money would help me start an income-generating venture. I had to make some changes after receiving it and used the entire support to obtain more materials to use on the construction work. To begin, I needed to purchase a $700 pressure pump for use in a motorcycle garage. This would have been a source of income, but the pressing need to speed up the construction of my five-roomed house prevented it. I needed some metallic rods for the lintel and pillars, as well as some cement bags for raising the walls. I am glad the next phase will be a little easier because I am already working on the purchase of 86 iron sheets, cutting roofing frames and timber, and locating the source of fittings such as doors, windows, and other construction necessities. I am grateful for GiveDirectly's support and hope to accomplish much with the second transfer.
Enrolled
access_time over 1 year ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
I have plans of using my transfer to expand my business and to improve the house that we are currently living in. It has always been my prayer and hope that I start a motorcycle spare part selling shop alongside a gas station. Having successfully launched a gas station with the loan that I took, my plan now is to buy some spare parts and start selling them to make profits. I look forward to receiving these transfers and being able to start this business as soon as possible. I will be very happy to start this business.ave plans of using this transfer to expand my business.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Despite facing various challenges as a family, we have had our happy moments as well. One of the biggest highlight for us as a family is the construction of a new house and starting of a new business in a nearby center called Kapkwen. It has always been my wish to start this business but with the little resources at my disposal we could not do this. I am so glad that we now have started the construction of a main house and have also started a business as well. This was after I took a loan which I committed my salary to pay back in bits after sometime. I look forward to getting enough resources to be able to bring the house to completion and to also expand my business.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The most chlenging thing that we are currently facing is shortage of water. In the recent past we have been getting enough supply of water from a water pan near us. With time, this pan has been strained by the rapidly growing population in my village and prolonged dry seasons. The water that we get from the pan is nowadays very dirty and has a high likelihood of being contaminated. We as a family have even worked hard and bought a 5000 litres capacity water tank but we do not have water in it due to the prolonged periods of going without rain. We can only hope that the government will come in and address the situation at hand by providing us with piped water.