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.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Before my retirement, I started building a bigger house for my family. The house is a three-bedroomed house that would fit every member of my family. A month after, the building of the house stalled because of insufficient funds. I fell sick and used part of the money for medical expenses. Since then I have not finished building the house. When I received my transfer, I spent KSH 1300 to buy cement used in plastering the floor of the house. Since I currently have no job, I spent the remaining amount of KSH 1700 to buy food for my family. The house I was living in previously fell down and moved in into the unfinished house. I covered the top with a strong polythene bag to shelter us from the rain, sun, and cold weather.
4th Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($27 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a farmer who mainly rely in farming people's farm to earn a living. Currently unemployed with three children in my one roomed house its been uncomfortable for all of us to live in that house and with my little savings I started on a construction of a 3 roomed house which I was unable to complete untill I started receiving GiveDirectly funds.My recent transfer was used to buy 2 bags of cement for KES 1300 and because of the famine I used the KES 1700 to buy food as I plan to have the construction complete in due time.
3rd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($27 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a farmer with a family of four members and in the last seasons drought has been part of us hence we had nothing much as our harvest this season.I used my first transfer of kshs 1000 in buying windows for my incomplete house and used kshs 200 to buy food.The second transfer came just in time when my child was sent home for school fees .I used kshs 1000 for fees and bought food for kshs 2000.I was able to buy three chicken with my last transfer kshs 600 each and bought food for kshs 1200.
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
3050 KES ($27 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
The money helped in the little things especially in my children having a stable education with no disruptions. The program itself of giving us unconditional money to build ourselves is something I am deeply touched by as this is empowering us right now.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I have been building my home even before Give directly came into the Give Directly. Thanks to Give directly, I am now able to finish it as I was able to buy windows to be installed. The window costed about KES.1700 which I bought two which they would not allow me to bargain but I were willing to give him though he had to top up from his pocket to pay for it
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
1200 KES ($11 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The moment when I received the first cash transfer I could not believe it and I was very happy. I did not have a stable job making earning a living difficult but with this money, I know we can meet our basic needs.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my life is that now I do not have to struggle to put food on the table. We can now have three meals a day.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Chakula deni
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
It is two years since the construction of my house stalled. If my wife will also benefit from GiveDirectly, will spend her cash on the provision of the family's daily needs. I will save approximately 200$(20000KES) of my initial transfers to get my house finished and this is what means the whole world for me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
In the morning, seeing my children going to school makes me happy. This is not routine since they cannot finish a term without being sent home for school fees.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Leaving in the same room with my three adolescent children denies me dignity and respect among my kinsmen. Sometimes I have visitors yet I cannot host them for a night. I had to sell two acres out of my five acres land so that I could build a permanent three-bedroom house. The cash got exhausted and my building stalled. Besides being small, my current dwelling house leaks during rains. This has given me sleepless nights.
