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.
Learn more about how recipients opt in to share their stories.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($446 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Immediately after I received my transfer, I developed a goal of acquiring a new bed and new beddings. Throughout my life, I was sleeping on the floor. I always spread a mat and old clothes as the readily available beddings. That was a difficult life I had to bear because Inver had any alternatives. The previous items I could use were pretty old, uncomfortable, and unpresentable. Most of the time, I could experience discomfort because sleeping on the floor was not only an unpleasant thing but also uncomfortable. At the moment, I have brand new sleeping items, this has greatly improved my way of life.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly does well in alleviating poverty in the poverty-stricken community. This is executable through direct and unconditional cash transfer. I have gained from this program because, I have managed to build a house, which I could not do at first. In addition, it offers awareness through sensitization, a situation that makes us at par with the information regarding how GiveDirectly works in our community. Moreover, it continues to do the right thing, doing prompt follow-ups. However, I have never observed what GiveDirectly does not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
As soon as I received my second and last transfer, I prioritized completing building my house. I had begun building it immediately after I received the first transfer. I am glad that currently, I am living in a spacious two bedroomed house. At first, I did not have any place to live in, a situation that forced me to convert one of the kitchens in our compound into my temporary house. Though I had been longing to get my house soon, I never knew how possible that would be since my husband and I do not have any reliable source of income. However, courtesy of GiveDirectly's transfer, this has materialized. I am so grateful to GiveDirectly for undertaking such a beneficial program.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($475 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was in one of those early mornings and I had just woken up and about to start my daily duties. I heard my phone ring and on checking it I was met with a pleasant surprise and I informed my sister of the good news. She was so happy that we had received the money. My children too were around and celebrated with me.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The fact that I have built a new house is the biggest difference in my life. Never in my Wildest imaginations had I thought that I will soon be able to do this. The little income that I got from my charcoal selling busines would hardly be enough to buy food
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I used all of my recent transfer to build a new house. The house is almost coming to completion and very soon I will have a brand new house for my family
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
A decent shelter for my family is what receiving this money mean to me. Currently, I am living in a small and temporary house which is about to collapse, I have wished to own a good one but I have not realized this due to financial instability. I will use KES 35000 to build a better house with a two rooms and iron sheet roof that will accommodate my family of 7 comfortably. I will further spend KES 40000 to buy oxen and ox plough to upscale my farming. I will invest the remaining amount in my children's educational needs.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Last week my dream of poultry farming come true. I was able to sell 3 sacks of charcoal at cost of KES 2800 this was my first to receive this amount at once. This made me happy because I used the money to buy 5 indigenous chickens for rearing.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Financial instability is the current challenge that I am facing. This has forced me to engage in charcoal work to earn money that will support my children's education. Considering this income which is as little as KES 3000 per month, it can not fully cater to their school fees as well as sustain our basic needs like food. We occasionally, skip meals or even borrow from relatives something that ashamed me a lot.
