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 ($472 USD)
access_time almost 3 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
I have a plan to start rearing the improved chicken breed. I have been rearing a few indigenous chickens and I liked it because it was of great benefit to me. I have hence decided to buy the improved breed type because I am going to get more eggs which I can sell and earn money to invest on other things such as buying a cow. I plan to use the money that I am going to get from the merry-go-round contributions of a self-help group that I am in. I am expecting to get KES 40000 from the group. This money is what I will use in expanding the chicken's house and buying the chicken.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did well because they helped people to improve their lives. The livelihoods of the people were uplifted because they used the transfers in so many ways such as building new houses and buying livestock. They are hence no longer the same.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent most of the money that I got on my second transfer on buying more land. We decided to buy more land because we wanted to move out of our family land. The family land is small and our family size is big. We have always wanted to buy a land of our own but we have not been able to due to lack of money. I am a small-scale farmer and I engage in growing some crops and rearing chickens. I usually sell some of the produce that I get from the farm and the eggs and I use the money that I get to buy food and other household items. My husband is a policeman and the money that he gets most of it usually goes to the payment of school fees for our three children. We are therefore so much grateful to GiveDirectly for making our dream come true.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($500 USD)
access_time 3 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I can remember vividly the time I got the message from GiveDirectly, it was at 9:38 am when I was at home relaxing and breastfeeding my baby when I saw a mpesa message on my phone, upon checking I confirmed that I had received a sum of KES 55,000 from GiveDirectly, I was so happy and thankful that I had received my transfer, I then informed my husband who was excited and grateful too for the support that we had received.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
Our dream was to own a piece of land that we call our own, this dream was not possible due to financial constraints at the moment, My life is different now because I have accomplished my goal with the transfer I got from GiveDirectly, I am hopeful that very soon I will be moving to a new house in my land, GiveDirectly has impacted my life positively and I am glad and grateful for the support.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I am a trained teacher though at the moment I have not been posted yet, I have three children, currently, we are still living in our small family land, I was relieved when I received my transfer because I knew that all my plans would be accomplished, therefore, My husband and I decided to use the transfer in purchasing a parcel of land worth KES 50,000, I then used the remaining part of the money in buying foodstuffs.
Enrolled
access_time over 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
My ambition is to be a poultry farmer. I am a teacher by profession but being employed under the TSC has been an issue since I only have a diploma and not a degree. My husband works as a police officer, his salary is around $290 and it is not enough for us to provide education for our 2 children let a line establishing a business for the household.
As a family we had saved some capital and build a chicken house but their is no capital to buy the chicken, so $600 of our transfer will be used to purchase 200 chicken and $400 for the chicken feed and and treatment needed. I believe this will liquidate and bring in a good amount of income to help sustain the our basic needs such as education, food and clothing.
What is the happiest part of your day?
On my usual work days I wake up as early as 5:40 in the morning, prepare breakfast and my children for school then head to work at a nearby school where I'm a teacher. I spend most of my days teaching and doing school activities till evening when I go back home, prepare dinner and sleep. I love my work life but the happiest part of day are particularly during weekends when I can rest and spend time with my children at home.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship in my life has been unemployment, I was fortunate enough to do a diploma in teaching. I believed I would get a job easily but being employed by the teachers board mostly requires a degree, so it hasn't been easy finding a job. I am currently employed under a short term contract but I only get paid $50 which is not worth my labour.
