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 ($465 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?
The house that I managed to construct through the transfers was the major objective and so far I do not have any new goal that emerged. As a widow of seven, I have desired to have a permanent shelter because the previous one was in a poor state. I am thankful that for now, I no longer seek shelter from friends as I used to do.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, the organization has been doing a great job and this is evident from all the transformation of our households. The fact that the support was in form of cash stood out since we were all able to acquire the items that we had desired the most to own for years. I do not any part that GiveDirectly needs to change.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent part of my second transfer on paying school fees of KES 5000 for my six children, bought new uniforms and stationery. They have always been on and off because of the huge school fees balance. I am happy that they no longer skip classes or miss exams as before. Also, I started a new business (retail shop) in the village and I am happy I have a source of income that I can now rely on any time. Later on, I bought a second-hand motorbike whereby my son has been using in his daily activities. With the remaining amount of money, I bought foodstuffs for the family that lasted for almost a month.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($513 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The moment when I received my transfer I felt so excited. Since it was my first time to hold such an amount of money I could not believe it.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is having constructed a house. I now feel so proud of myself for having fulfilled my dream of owning such a decent house. I am nolonger rained on and my households too are not only safe from rain ut secure too. The previous house did not have a lockable door but the current one has.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent the first transfer on the building materials that I have already used to construct a new house. The previous house was made of reed and most parts of both the wall and roof had fallen off. The current house is now secure and safe to stay in since it has a lockable door.
Enrolled
access_time 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
It has been the trend that every household in our village move from the tradition grass roofed houses to modern iron roofed house that do not require mantainance every year. My desire has been to construct a decent modern house for my family once I receive my transfer. Receiving this money means my dream will come to reality since I am planning to spend Ksh. 30,000 to build the house. This will relieve me from the burden of changing the roof every year which is costly. I will invest the the remaining amount in livestock rearing which will be my reliable source of income.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Evening is the happiest part of my day. It is at this time that I meet my kids when they come from schools, being around them despite the challenge of life gives me joy and hope.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Lack of a sustainable source of income is my biggest hardship I am facing. I am a charcoal vendor, an activity that earn me utmost 1 dollar per day which is hardly enough to feed my family and provide for their educational needs. This has forced me to live a life of constant worries about the future of my kids due to lack of school fees.
