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 ($490 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is different than how it would have been had I not received the transfer. This is because I have been able to achieve most of my goals something that would have taken me so many years before achieving it. I have been able to acquire an extra dairy cow and this will lead to increase in my income when it reproduces. Also, I have been able to build a house for my family and I am glad that my children and visitors now have a separate room to sleep.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my own opinion, GiveDirectly does well by uplifting people's lives through financial aid and I do not see anything that they do not do well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I saved the all amount of the transfer I received. I am planning to use this money to purchase a piece of land which is near the road. I have settled on this so that after purchasing it, I will build a house that I will use for business purposes and also rent it to other people.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($516 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I got a message notification to my phone was looking after cows. It was around 9 o'clock in the morning, upon checking what the message was all about, I was surprised that I got my first transfer. That was when I believed that the promised transfers were true. I couldn't wait longer, I went back home and headed to mobile money agent and withdrew the money so that I would have it in cash. In our locality we have several fraudsters and I thought it was save having in cash than in my mobile money wallet.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I was able to acquire building materials which I have been yearning to buy for sometime. That was a great step towards building a new house. I am certain that the remaining portion is not expensive as it would be having the required materials. It would have taken me years before I raise money for buying the materials.
Again, I felt relieved after paying a debt of KES 2000 which I had obtained sometime back. The person was giving me too much pressure as I couldn't afford to repay him in good time.
Lastly, I am happy that I got myself some new clothes and I look good in them.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
For quite sometime, I have been trying to save towards buying materials for constructing a better house but it wasn't possible for me to do so because of low income from casual jobs. When I got my first transfer, I prioritize on what I was yearning for. I bought construction materials at a cost of KES 20000. I then bought a heifer for rearing at a cost of KES 25000. The remaining amount, I spent KES 2000 on paying a debt and the rest on buying myself some clothes.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have derived a sense of fulfillment through living a comfortable life by having a stable source of income that I have been unable to attain. My ambition has always to own a dairy cow which will boost my chance of fulfilling my dreams. Owning a dairy cow will serve as a source of income through the sale of milk. I am planning to spend approximately Ksh 30000 to acquire one and I am projecting to milk around 2 liters a day. I will be able to sell 1.5 liters and consume the remaining. Owing to this, I will be able to lead a better life, and thus receiving this money means to me.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my is in the morning especially when I manage to secure a job to do as a casual laborer. Waking up early in the morning to search for a casual job has been our norm in this area and getting the job is another thing altogether. We are living in tough economic times and many people are unemployed. Therefore, being lucky to get a job to do for the day is the joy of my life.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced in life is a lack of stable sources of income. I am a casual laborer earning an inadequate wage of approximately Ksh 200 a day which is also hard to get. Lack of finances to take care of my family led to the separation of my fiancee. I have been trekking for approximately 1 hour to a posh family far from the village in search of casual work which is also hard to come by.
