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 ($523 USD)
access_time almost 5 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 currently different in that I no longer depend on casual labour entirely to earn a living for my family. Having bought two dairy cows that were already producing milk has greatly reduced the cost of keeping my family. I now lead a happier family courtesy of GiveDirectly's transfers. I no longer look down upon my family and myself like I used to do before since GiveDirectly has elevated our living standards to the same levels as to those that we thought were living a happier better living standard.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly did so well in giving out money without discriminating on anyone based on anything. Their selection criteria was so fair and all inclusive and I really felt proud of them.On the other hand I did not find anything from GiveDirectly that I thought they should have done better.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I used KES 38000 to buy a cow from my second transfer. I then used the remaining KES 15000 to buy food and other basic household needs for the family. For a long time, I had felt the pinch of having to look for milk every morning before I could cook tea. This was time consuming and also very expensive for us considering that I entirely relied on casual labour to raise the money needed to meet all the daily costs within my family. On receiving this money I chose to make this investment to bring to an end the menace of having to buy almost everything within the household. I am happy that this has greatly relieved us as a family and we are looking forward to making other valuable investments going forward.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($529 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I no longer walk around the village looking for some casual work to do. This is because I am always busy with the work of looking for feeds to feed my livestock. Owning a dairy cow has also resulted in an improvement in our health. This is because my family now gets milk for their consumption. Our daily expenditure has also reduced since we no longer buy milk. As a result of this, my spouse has been able to save some money daily which we at times use it to meet some of our basic needs.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I was so thankful to God and GiveDirectly the moment I received my transfers. This money brought light into my life as it relieved my heart from the stress of how to get money to use in achieving my dreams.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I have always lived with a desire of buying a dairy cow for so long but I had not been able to achieve this due to financial constraints. The little money we get as a family from the menial jobs we do around the village is not even enough to cater for our needs. My first transfer came in handy as it helped me to achieve my heart's desire by using part of it to buy a dairy cow, its heifer, and three goats. When the goats reproduce and increase in number, I will be selling them in bits and use the money to cater for my children's education. I am now glad since I no longer buy milk from my neighbors as I did before. As a result of this, I have been able to save the money I would otherwise use in buying milk. Also, I bought some seats and a table. I received my transfers at a time I had just finished building a house for my family. My sitting room was just like a hall as it did not have these items. I used the remaining amount to buy two sacks of maize flour and decent clothes for my family.
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Sheep keeping is a thriving investment in my village thanks to an indigenous forest nearby which is rich in pasture. When I get my first transfer this is the first project I am going to invest in. Sheep keeping is lucrative because of their prolificacy and ability to multiply perennially. My vision is to sell them in future to cater for my children's education.
What is the happiest part of your day?
After preparing my children for school in the morning, I spend time in my small farm cultivating sweet potatoes. I would come back in the afternoon to prepare them lunch and fetch water for domestic use. My children would give me a hand in some of the household chores while I rest, which makes me happy.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
My husband is a casual labourer employed to pluck tea in a multinational corporation in Kericho. The dues he earn cannot fully cater for the needs of our family of six. We spend the money on food, milk, clothing and a paltry remainder in our children's education leaving nothing for savings. We live from hand to mouth and this is the biggest hardship I've faced in my life.
