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 ($444 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?
I do not have any new goals except putting more emphasis on the current one which includes taking good care of the goats at my disposal and ensuring that my children's education is sorted.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
What I love most about this program is the fact that we were taken through in details the importance of GiveDirectly in our lives. Most especially we were given the freedom to invest at will. There is nothing that did not go well.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Being a single parent has never been a lighter burden for me. Therefore when the second transfer came through, I decided to buy four goats for the purpose of raising them and there after trading them out for cash upon their reproduction and increase. Finally part of the second transfer went into settling school fees for my four children and even bought food for my entire family of six. To put food on the table, I have been selling vegetables. As a family we cannot help but to continue thanking GiveDirectly for their financial generosity.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($482 USD)
access_time 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 5pm in the evening and I was at the grocery which was my work station still serving my customers when I got the SMS confirming that I had received the money from GiveDirectly. I was so happy to receive the money from the program because it was going to help me get the desires of my heart especially starting my own grocery store and quit employment. This was also due to the fact that my salary at the grocery store which I used to work was not sufficient enough to enable me start my own, therefore, I felt so happy when I received my transfer.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life since I started receiving money from GiveDirectly is that I have upgraded to earning more money from the profits of my grocery store business than the daily rate of KES 150 I used to earn as a grocery store attendant. I now have goats and my living standards have hugely improved, all thanks to GiveDirectly.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent most of the transfer which was KES 11000 on both setting up the structure and getting the stock for starting my own grocery store. This was because I had always desired to have my own, and quit employment as the salary I used to earn was not sufficient enough and hardly was a reflection of the efforts I was putting. Therefore, I desired to have my own grocery store in which I wouldn't have to share the proceeds with anyone else but the business itself and use the profits to address the challenges I will be facing as well as regularly meet my family's immediate needs. I am so happy that I now enjoy the freedom to independently plan around the money raised by my business and I feel so good as well as stress-free about meeting my family's immediate needs and providing for my children, all thanks to GiveDirectly.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Having worked in a grocery shop for 2 years, I feel I have the necessary skills to run my own. Receiving this money will help me accomplish this dream. My intention is to use KES 20,000 of my first transfer to build a premise then buy stock such as vegetables and fruits. I also have children who will be joining secondary school soon. I plan to save the rest of the money for use when the time comes because O'level education in Kenya does not come cheap.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My children were taken ill of a cold a few weeks ago but thank God now they are doing well and that has brought me joy and happiness in my life.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Last week my children were sent home for school fees but I did not have money to pay their fees, they had to stay home for three days as I look for ways to find cash. My current challenge is therefore been lack of finances to allow my children education to learn without any disruptions.
