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 ($493 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
The water tank that I purchased through the transfers makes my life different. Thus because since water shortage is a major issue I had to think of a permanent solution on the same. We normally fetch water on the dam which is very far from the village and sometimes it dries during the summer season. Therefore the tank has really saved me from the hustle of fetching the water for the many miles. I am harvesting the rainy water and storing them in the tank for my domestic purposes. I no longer complain of back pain which was a result of carrying the jerricans. Aso with the dairy cows I will be getting plenty of milk for my family consumption and commercial purposes.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, GiveDirectly does well in my community and I do not see any sector that they failed us. One the enrolment was free and very fair. There was no discrimination of maybe tribe or even religion they valued everyone and this even strengthens the unity and harmony we had in my village.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my second transfer on buying a dairy cow worthy of KES 25000. It has been my dream to have at least a single living asset but I could not afford it becasue of my income. Also, I cleared the fees balances for my children. In addition, I bought new clothes for my children and me since the previous ones were old and torn. Also, I gave KES 3000 to my mother to seek medication, since she has been ailing for quite some time and we could afford to raise the money for her treatment. With the removing amount of money, I bought enough foodstuffs for my children and some other household items.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($501 USD)
access_time over 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I received the transfer notification in my phone in the morning. I called my helper who confirmed to me that my first transfer had been sent. On hearing this, I was greatly overjoyed and thanked them for their financial support.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is owning the cow. I am expecting that it will reproduce and increase in number. I am planning to sell the offspring to raise fees for my children who are still young. Besides being an asset to me, I will also be getting milk for my family's consumption and sell the surplus and earn an income.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent my transfer on buying a cow at KES 17000 which I am currently keeping in my homestead. I did not have any livestock in my compound though I desired to own them. I could not afford to buy at my own cost. I am happy that I will be selling the milk to earn some income. I am also expecting it to reproduce and have many of them. In addition to this, I also bought a plastic water tank. At least I have a water storage now that we are facing a water shortage in our region. I also did some shopping on new clothes for my myself and for my family. I also had some some debts which I cleared through the transfer. I spent the remaining amount on buying daily foodstuffs for my family.
Enrolled
access_time almost 4 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have desired to start livestock business because it has a lot of profit. This has long been a wish that have never materialized but receiving this money will mean achieving this dream. I intend to use 80,000 shilling to venture into this project and this will assure me of huge income that will help me clear my children's school fee debts and also to cater to my family's other basic needs. I will spend the remaining amount to buy food for the family.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Selling charcoal is a daunting job that drains someone's energy. It forces me to spend more hours away from my children but I always look forward to evening hours because this is the moment I spend maximum time with them and share our meals. Therefore, the eveningbeckmes the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
We depend on charcoal vending for our daily income.The monthly income which we used to get was 7,000 Kenya shillings but at the moment, it has reduced to 5,000 shillings because the market is very low due to the corona pandemic. This income is not enough to cater for the family's needs and sometimes I am forced to engage myself in other jobs such as selling of sisal in order to increase my income. Therefore, inadequate income is the biggest hardship that I have faced in my life.
