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
55000 KES ($457 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
Of course yes, I have an ambition of making my goats' investment a major investment. Therefore, I aim to add more goats once I get some cash to expand the investment. Currently, I have some small businesses like selling some charcoal and I am using the money to fend for my family and saving some to add the goats.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
Before GiveDirectly, I did not have any defined source of income. It was a struggle to find food for my family. As of now, the transfer enabled me to start an investment that I am optimistic will positively change my life. Based on that plus other developments that I see from the community members, I can say GiveDirectly is a faultless and life-changing organization.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Upon withdrawing the money, the first thing I thought of was to invest in livestock. Based on that, I bought eight goats for KES 20000.00. This is because money invested somewhere multiplies. I opted for goats over cows because they are cheap to acquire and they have ready markets. I also paid KES 1000.00 for school fees for my lower primary child so that he could have a good time in school without fee disturbances. Thereafter, I saved the remaining amount for the family's upkeep because it was a hunger period due to a prolonged drought which stoke us.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($475 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was very early in the morning and I was busy farming on my farmlands. I heard a message on my phone and upon checking, I saw that I had received funds from give directly. I felt ecstatic and dropped all that I was doing, then rushed to my husband to tell him about the good news and we rejoiced together. Since I had plans to create employment for myself through the livestock farming business. I started making preparations for where I will purchase the goats I need. The following day, I left together with my husband to buy them.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
There has been a great improvement in my life ever since I started receiving these funds from give directly. I am no longer unemployed as I used the money to buy 10 goats to start the livestock farming business. I also settled my children's school fee arrears and I got to buy some food for the family. These funds have indeed boosted our finances and it has been more manageable to fend for my three children.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a housewife and a mother of three. My husband, who sells goats for a living, is the sole breadwinner of the family. For a while, I have had the urge to earn and contribute to the family's expenses. However, I lacked the means to do so. Therefore, when I received my transfer from give directly, I started by purchasing 10 goats to start a livestock farming business. My children also had school fees arrears that were long overdue. To avoid them being sent out of school, I settled the debt, and whatever amount remained I used to restock the house with some nourishments.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have three children at the moment; one is already attending primary school while the remaining two are yet to join. My husband trades on livestock while I mostly burn and sell charcoal that can earn me up to 6000 KES in two weeks. I already know my husband's income isn't reliable because he has three wives to take care of. When I get this money I will buy goats and cattle as many as I can afford and start raring with an aim of selling them later to educate my children. It would be so great be able to educate them without depending on my husband.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I felt happy when rains started in December last year bacauuse I knew my husband's business was going to get strong again. He sells livestock and prices had really fell so low from mid last year due to the draught that killed a lot of domestic animals. During such times, livestock demand normally goes down a lot hence affecting prices. People do not buy mostly because there is no pasture to feed them on.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My biggest challenge is lack of reliable source of income. I can make only 6000 KES in two weeks at maximum production while my husband's income has to be always split three ways among his wives. This Leaves me with very little income to buy family's basic needs specifically food. I would also like to find something that is less physical to do for livelihood. I feel charcoal burning is already affecting my health.
