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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3rd Payment
Transfer Amount
45000 KES ($279 USD)
access_time 10 months ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
In the coming years, my main goal is to start maize farming. I believe that by engaging in farming, especially growing maize, I can contribute to solving the food security challenges at home. It's my dream to have a steady and reliable source of food for my family.
If I can successfully start and sustain maize farming this year, it would bring me immense happiness and contentment. I see it as not just a personal achievement but also a way to ensure that my family has access to nutritious food, making our home more secure and comfortable. This goal reflects my commitment to providing for my family's needs and building a more sustainable and fulfilling future.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
I am filled with gratitude for GiveDirectly. I don't have anything to add or subtract; their impact on my village has been immense. Thanks to their support, hunger in our village has significantly decreased. The assistance provided by GiveDirectly has not only addressed the issue of hunger but has also had a remarkable impact on housing. Almost everyone in my village now has a new home, which is truly a blessing. I want to express my heartfelt appreciation for the positive changes GiveDirectly has brought to our community, making a lasting difference in the lives of many.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Recently, I received $450 from GiveDirectly. I decided to use the money wisely to improve my family's life. First, I set aside $390 to buy some cows. These cows will provide milk for my family, helping us with nutrition, and I plan to sell some of the milk to meet our daily needs.
Next, I allocated $28 to finish building my house. I bought a door and windows, which not only provides comfort but also ensures security for our belongings. This small investment in our home contributes to our overall well-being.
Finally, I allocated $40 to address our food needs. I purchased essential food items for my family, bringing joy and happiness to our home. Overall, the recent transfers have allowed me to make strategic investments in cows for a sustainable source of income, improve our living conditions with a more secure and comfortable home, and ensure our immediate food requirements are met, contributing to the overall well-being of my family.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
45000 KES ($295 USD)
access_time almost 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My aspiration is to construct a comfortable and sturdy house, especially given that our current dwelling is composed of mud walls. To achieve this dream, I intend to utilize not only the upcoming third transfer but also the modest savings I accumulated from the second transfer. This combined effort will contribute to realizing a significant improvement in our living conditions and provide a more secure and durable home for my family.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
The organization fulfilled their promise by disbursing our transfers as initially stated, providing us with ample food supplies during a challenging period. I can identify aspects that were previously not handled well, but now everything runs seamlessly. This transformation has significantly improved our circumstances, and I appreciate the organization's commitment to delivering on their commitments.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My husband and I depend on farming as our primary source of income, and we are fortunate to have five children. Upon receiving our transfer, our first priority was settling a long-overdue debt, spending $60 for this purpose. Subsequently, we invested $50 in essential food items like maize and beans, and I also purchased a bed for $28. The remainder of the amount was wisely saved, with the intention of using it to sustain our family and combining it with our forthcoming third transfer to embark on the construction of a decent house. The utilization of funds represents a significant shift from our past circumstances, where the limited money we received was primarily directed towards acquiring essential food items. The transformation in our lives is substantial, and we owe a debt of gratitude to the organization for bringing about such positive changes.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
18010 KES ($126 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
Experiencing an overwhelming sense of contentment and happiness, I was filled with immense satisfaction as I received a message from GiveDirectly, confirming the realization of the plans my husband and I had drafted. The occasion was a school event attended by our four children, and amidst it, a notification message lit up my phone screen. At a glance on the screen, I was super excited, and the same was happening to the fellow villagers who had just received a similar message at that moment. Later that evening, I eagerly shared the news with my husband, and his excitement matched my own, cementing the moment's importance.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Since receiving the initial payment, having enough food for our family of seven has been the biggest difference in my daily life. We are immensely relieved to be free of worries about food, which enables us to carry out various tasks and errands outside of our home without the constant worry about food availability.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I planned with the support of my spouse, the first transfer from GiveDirectly with careful consideration to fulfill various essential household needs. I obtained a half sack of maize and 10kg of beans for $49, along with incurring a $1 expense for transportation for our sustenance. Addressing the pressing necessity to renovate our deteriorating mud-walled house, I bought 7 iron sheets for $64, supplementing the existing 6 with a target of 15 to comprehensively revamp all the walls affected by rainy season damage. To reinforce the renovation effort further, I acquired 9 building poles for $23, along with a $2 transportation cost, aiming to minimize recurrent repairs and time loss post-rain. Not overlooking my children's well-being, I purchased new school shorts for my two sons, each priced at $3, fostering their confidence and interaction with peers. I allocated the remaining $30 to essential household goods, including toiletries, cooking oil, and sugar. With a prudent outlook, I saved the remaining $6, earmarked for the ongoing monitoring and replenishment of household necessities.
Enrolled
access_time over 1 year ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
Life is hard. Having to fend for 5 children is not an easy task. The casual jobs we do cannot sustain us at all, we live from hand to mouth and it is not all rosy as some days we are not lucky to get jobs and that means our children go to bed on an empty stomach. We have lived a life of misery and are seriously stricken by poverty and inadequacy of even the most basic things like food and clothing. We see hope and a better life now that the GiveDirectly transfers is in the offing. It could not have come at a better time than this when we are struggling a lot to even feed our children. We intend to use the money to develop ourselves and cushion ourselves from future shocks and be able to educate our children well. It is against this background that we intend to purchase 5 goats for each child which will cost $ 180. We anticipate having multiplied in the next 2 years and subsequently be mature to sell in the future to cater for children's education. We will use the rest of the money to build another decent house and buy foodstuffs.
What is the happiest part of your day?
We depend on goats keeping here, it is a source of livelihood. In January four of our goats gave birth and we were so elated. We were able to milk them every morning and use the milk to prepare tea for our 5 children before they went to school, they enjoyed it a lot unlike before when they were taking tea without milk. Milk production increased during the onset of rainfall in March further boosting their milk production. It has assisted us a great deal and made our lives easy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Food insecurity is what is affecting us the most. We had depressed rainfall in the past and it was not possible to produce food crops on our farms. Our area is semi-arid and the adverse effects of climate change have had a toll effect on us such that putting food on the table is not easy. The recent rise in the cost of living has made things worse as the cost has doubled making it unaffordable. It seems to get hard every day and it breaks our hearts and diminishes our hopes of living a better life.