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
check
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life is currently different in that I have a newly built house. On top of the newly built house, I also have two dairy cows that would help me meet any financial emergencies should they arise.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion GiveDirectly did so well in giving us unconditional support that allowed us to make investments based on what we thought would be more favorable to us. On the other hand I did not see anything bad about GiveDirectly's operations that I would think they should improve.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I used all of my second transfers to buy two dairy cows. I had always yearned to fulfill this dream of having my own dairy cows but due to financial difficulties, I had not been able to accomplish this. When I received this transfer, I chose to make this investment knowing very well that it was going to be of great help to me and my family in the long run in terms of meeting financial emergencies. I am so much proud of this achievement.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($544 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
attach_money
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
The biggest difference in my daily life is poultry farming I started using part of the transfer. We primarily depend on casual jobs to earn a living as a family making our income unpredictable and unstable. We are some days forced to forgo basic commodities-soap, cooking oil in our family to spend the little we could earn on food. I had always been stressful and ashamed of failing to meet my family daily needs. When I received the transfer from GD, I bought ten hens that have assisted me in my current daily life. I have eggs from my chicken to sell to meet other family petty needs and also for household consumption. I am so happy currently I no longer have to get daily basic items on credit like before when my debts had to grow on a daily basis. I sometimes currently have something to save for future financial needs and also find it a pleasure to see my hens multiply hence giving me hope of a better future.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I saw the message notification at around 7.00 AM just as I was checking time for me to get out of bed. I was amazed by the notification and immediately I saw my collapsed business rising again. I used to run small before I was forced to deliver through cesarean forcing me to spend both all income and capital on the bills. I had always wished to start it again but lack of stable source for income never made it possible for me to restart it.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
We had built a hut and a small iron-roofed house when we were a young couple with a hope of having better and bigger houses in future but this had never happened since we are unemployed couple hence we depend on low and hardly found casual jobs. I used KES11200 to buy building materials-iron sheets, nails and timber in preparation to build another kitchen to replace my old kitchen. A hut I use as my children living room and a kitchen is old and had started cracking making it unsafe and uncomfortable to live in. I spent KES 13500 on my household items-couches, furniture, beddings and utensils since it had been long since I replaced what I had before due to lack of enough income hence they were old and some worn out making them uncomfortable for daily usage. I used KES3000 to restart a small business I had before I was forced to spend my both profits and capital on a hosipital bill after I was forced to undergo cesarian delivery hence leading to lack of daily income. I also spent KES300 to start poultry farming that has assisted me to get a daily income as well as some eggs for consumption. I am currently happy I have a daily income from egg sales and food for my family from poultry farming and my business.
Enrolled
access_time over 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
This area of ours is good for raising livestock and as a result of this, receiving this money will mean that I'll be able to start dairy farming( i.e to buy two dairy cattle, construct dairy shed and buy animal feeds). Moreover, I'll be able to restart my egg-selling business. Thank you GD.
What is the happiest part of your day?
On a normal day, I wake up early in the morning and as usual do my routine household chores. Afterwards, I feed my chicken and go to my farm to cultivate some vegetables i.e kales. In the afternoon, I come back and cook for my children who are coming for lunch from school. Later in the evening, I go back to the farm, water the vegetables and carry some for supper which we enjoy with my family-This is the happiest time of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
During the birth of my first born child, I underwent caesarean section and in the process, I developed some complications. It took a lot of time for me to get well and during that period, I couldn't do my normal chores and I felt less productive to my family. This has been the biggest hardship I've ever experienced.
