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.
There will be no further updates from this completed recipient.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($428 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
check
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I plan to major in poultry farming by May this year, then later I will sell the poultry and my goats to buy a cow which shall in return give me milk for sale. I need a capital of $450 to start. I hope to raise this capital from from my maize business.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Give Directly has been a blessing in our village. Sending us money is what you did best. You have enabled us to do a lot of constructive things including paying school fees for our children who had drop out of school due to school fees challenges. My son is now in form four courtesy of Give Directly. May you do the same to others too. You also send the money to more women than men, this was so thoughtful because women can not waste money on things like alcohol. I don't see anything that you should improve on.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I'm a business lady with low income which is not enough to sustain my family. My husband has no job at all, he mostly work on our farm and that makes me the sole bread winner. Mostly we depend on our farm produce for food. So I spent $70 on 2 goats and I'll be using them to remember Give Directly. I then spent $10 on layers, I hope they shall lay more eggs and hatch. My son had also wished to purchase a piece of land so to support him, I added him $100 to pay for the land. I then gave my husband $100 which he used to prepare our farm, buy maize seedlings and plant. I used $170 to start a maize business where by I buy maize from local farmers and sell it to outsiders. I also used $80 to buy decent clothes and shoes for myself. I'm happy that right now I can have a good dress to wear incase I need to go to a presentable function.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($466 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
attach_money
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I felt so happy the moment I received money from GiveDirectly. I got to learn of it in the early morning the following day while everyone else received their transfer the day before. It was a wonderful way to start the day on such a high note. I actually tried calling the hotline number just to say thank you but the line was too busy that day and I could not reach anyone to express my gratitude. I however followed the instructions that enabled me say thank you. What made me so happy was the thought of having my son who had almost dropped out of school going back to school to complete his secondary school education.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
For a long tim, I have had problems with my vision I could not see clearly and could hardly read even the biggest handwritings. Due to lack of money, I had not been able to go to hospital for medical check up but when I received money from GiveDirectly, I decided to go for a medical check up. I feel so much happy that my sigh to has been restored and that I am not in a position to see clearly again. That to me is the biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving payments from GiveDirectly
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Used KES 10000 to pay school fees for my son and used another KES 5000 for his shopping as he went back to school. I gave another KES 10000 to my husband that was used to improve our farming practices. One of my son also took another KES 10000 to improve his farming and make extra income from a piece of land he had leased. I used another KES 5000 to seek medication for my eyes where I obtained spectacles that aided my seeing and used another KES 10000 to improve my cereal business. The remaining amount was used to buy food and other basic household needs for my family. I personally feel very proud and happy to have received money from GiveDirectly and more especially happy that the money helped me to take back my son who was almost dropping out of school for lack of school fees
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I live in a timber-walled house that was built in the year 2000 and it has been heavily damaged by termites. It is on the verge of collapsing and I feel it is unsafe for me hence it is my biggest worry at the moment. I am a dairy farmer with 3 cows that produce 9-liters of milk every day. I sell the same at KES 35 for every liter and this earns me KES 300 per day. This money is spent on buying food such as maize flour, vegetables and sugar. I have a desire to build a new house that is safe for my family and I intend to spend KES 100000 from my transfer to see this happen. Receiving this money means a lot to me as it will enable me to build another house that will ensure safety for my family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
It hardly rains in this part of the world but in the last 2 months, it has been raining consistently. This means that we do not struggle so much to get water for household use as we do during drought season and this is something I am happy about
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Financial instability is the biggest challenge that I face at the moment. I run a grocery shop at Chebunyo Market and since COVID-19 struck in 2019 things have never returned to normal. I sell items like fresh fruits, vegetables and sometimes soured milk. I lost my loyal customers who never came back even after the covid restrictions were lifted. Nowadays it is hard to provide basic needs like food and clothing.
