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 ($517 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
It is everyone's prayer in our village and the next villages that they are part of this GiveDirectly program. On getting enrolled and receiving the transfers, I was really very happy that most of the challenges which I was having in life if not all will be over. If I had never received the transfers, I am sure that I would be really devastated with lots of problems. I would not be having enough foods, new clothes and also a new house. I am really thankful that my household is part of the program and we have done a lot with the money.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly gave enormous support. not only did they sort our problems in a good way but also set things right which will ease our future plans. I am really thankful and congratulating GiveDirectly for everything they did in our village. There is nothing which was not well done at all and I feel that this has been one of the organized and focused organization have ever experienced their services.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I received the transfers from GiveDirectly when I was in a dire need of. everything was insufficient in our household and we would always visit the neighbor's place to borrow some food. Maize flour was what we were well known of borrowing since we had no maize at all in our granary. When we received this money, we decided to spend all of them in sorting foodstuff issues in our household. We bought everything in large quantities, among them, are; maize, beans, sugar, tea leaves, milk and also potatoes. We also used part of it in paying for the debt we had in the shop.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($541 USD)
access_time almost 6 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
Buying maize flour has been a daily routine to me and it is costly. Whenever I did not have money to use in buying them, my family would have to stay without having their meals. I am now extremely happy because I was able to buy some and I know that my family will be having their three meals a day. The maize I bought will last us for the next four months as we waait for the next harvest. Whenever I think about this, my heart is always at peace and so far, this is the biggest difference I have experianced in my daily life.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 8.30 am as I was preparing breakfast for my family when I received two messages. Upon reading their contents, I was filled with joy as I knew that my life was not going to be the same again. I then prayed to thank God for His blessings upon my family.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I spent part of my first transfers in building a house for my family. Building a bigger house for my family has always been my dream as the one my family was living in was grass thatched and it was always leaking during rainy seasons. Many people usually buy new clothes during festive seasons. My family was never left out during this season as I was able to buy them some clothes. I spent the remaining amount on buying maize flour to reduce the cost of buying them in small quantities.
Enrolled
access_time almost 6 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Indeed God is always fairhful to me and my family. I have been struggling in vain to build an iron-sheet roofed house so that I could collect rain water for drinking and other household uses as my neighbors do. Luckily, receiving this money means that the dream will materialize, and thus we shall have adequate rainwater and gain a higher living standard.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I always wake up very early in the morning to attend to my two acre onion farm before the scourging sun hits. I could be planting new seedlings, weeding or harvesting the onions at the morning hours. There after, I package and sell the harvested produce to gain income for my family. Accordingly, the happiest part of my day is in the afternoon when resting to restore energy. Besides, it is at the afternoon that I would have received some money (between 1 and 2 USD a day) from the sale of the produce - meaning we can afford some food and other basic needs.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Since I am a single parent, I serve as the sole breadwinner for my family of three persons. Accordingly, I am always worried that I might fail to provide adequate food for the family. As a subsistence farmer, I depend primarily on the unreliable rains to plant spring onions. For the last five years or so, we have been getting poor harvests and thus low income which could hardly meet our basic needs, especially food.
