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
53010 KES ($392 USD)
access_time over 1 year ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My plan for the coming year is to establish a poultry farm as a source of income. I intend to commence this project by purchasing five hens, which I expect will increase in number over time. Based on my observation, there is a significant demand for eggs in the market, so I am confident that the project will be profitable and meet my financial needs. By doing so, I will be able to meet my expenses without having to rely on my children for financial support, and enjoy greater financial independence.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
In my opinion, it's a good thing that GD has given us a lump sum of cash since it allowed us to start big investment projects. Additionally, the fact that the money was unconditional adds to its value as this gave us more freedom and flexibility when making investment selections.
I have not observed anything that the organisation should work on, just keep up the good work you are doing.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent $440 of the transfer to purchase a dairy cow that I had been longing for, as I did not own one previously. I used to buy milk from the village, which was both expensive and often adulterated with dilution or added powder, rendering it unsuitable for consumption. Currently, my family of seven is able to enjoy the two liters of milk provided by the cow daily, which we can consume comfortably with the assurance of its safety.
With the remaining funds, I paid off an outstanding debt that I had taken out earlier to cover my son's diploma education fees. I am relieved to no longer receive frequent reminders from the lender, and feel a sense of peace now that the debt has been cleared.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($440 USD)
access_time almost 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I went home to relax after a long day of working in the hot sun at the farm. After finishing my lunch, I heard my phone ring and discovered that I had received money from GiveDirectly. I was overjoyed and overjoyed. Later that evening, I told my husband the good news, and he was equally grateful to God for the wonderful gift that came our way when we least expected it. We then began to plan how we would use our transfer.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The most significant difference is that I was able to comfortably pay my son's college tuition; knowing that he can focus on his studies gives me peace of mind. Second, I was able to purchase a cow, which was previously impossible due to financial constraints. I will be eternally grateful to our donors for their wonderful gesture.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
My husband and I decided to spend our first transfer money on a dairy cow worth $300 because our previous cow died mysteriously, leaving us to buy milk on a daily basis, which was expensive. We were unable to purchase it previously due to the overwhelming demands of school fees. I am a farmer, and my husband is in the animal trade; we are blessed with three children. I then spent $247 on my son's college tuition. I am overjoyed and relieved that I was able to complete my tasks in such a short period of time.
Enrolled
access_time 2 years ago
What do you plan to do with the cash transfer?
We do not have a cow of our own. We sold all the cattle that we had to meet the school fees of our children who were in various schools. It was a struggle that was insurmountable and we depleted a lot of resources that we were hardly left with any. We had to borrow a dairy cow from our relative just for milk production for consumption.It is against this backdrop that we intend to a dairy cow, we plan to use $400 to purchase a dairy cow and use the rest to pay the school fees for our son who is in college in Nairobi.
What is the happiest part of your day?
Our young son, Gilbert is on the verge of completing his National Youth Service (NYS) training and it gives me joy. He had not performed well in his secondary school education and could not get a good course. Luckily, he got the opportunity to join the school of his dream in Gilgil. He is graduating soon and we are hopeful that he will secure employment. He has a passion for becoming a police officer in the future and having passed through the National Youth Service it will be easy for him to secure the opportunity since he will have been prepared enough.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
We face a myriad of challenges each day but the major problem that we face currently is food insecurity. Maize is our stable food and buying the commodity at a high price of $1.80 per 2Kg unlike before when we could buy it at $0.80 per 2Kg is so biting. The cost of living shot up recently and it tripled the price of maize and so putting food on the table is hard and stressful. We used to do maize production but since the outbreak of maize lethal necrosis disease the maize crops have not been doing good and so we are forced to buy at high prices which sometimes is unaffordable and on worst days when we do not have enough money to buy it we are forced to survive on porridge. It worries me a lot since my children feel bad about it.
