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 ($441 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?
I have no new goal at this time. I intend to focus on my dairy-keeping project and the poultry program that I have started. This is my priority now because I want to make this my main source of income to support my family in paying the school fees and basic needs.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
The majority of the people in the village spent their money on different projects since it was an unconditional cash transfer program. Most invested in dairy-keeping projects while others started small businesses that earns them daily incomes to support their families.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent KES 28,000 on the purchase of two heifers. it is because I always buy milk every day and it cost me a lot of money. I spent KES 100 per day on milk. I rely on small-scale farming and poultry-keeping projects that I have started to make an income. The amount I received is very small and I was not in a position to buy a dairy cow. I am so happy now in that I will get enough milk when it reproduces in the next few months. My family will get enough milk and I would cut the daily cost that I usually incur every day. The remaining amount of money I spent on clothes, food and basic household needs of my family. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has changed our living standards.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($470 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
It was around 9 am, I was feeding my cows. When I checked my phone there was a message confirming that I have received money from GiveDirectly. I felt so happy and immediately I informed my spouse and he was so happy too. We knew we would be able to invest in the things we had planned for with my spouse. I withdraw part of the money the same day and the rest of the money later. This was one of the happiest mornings we have ever had in our lives.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is purchasing 15 hens. I have a poultry keeping project and this earns me some income through the sales of eggs. When I received the transfer from GiveDirectly I decided to buy 15 hens totaling 45 hens. This is my dream come true. I had always wished to own many hens and make this my main focus. Currently, I get more than 20 eggs per day. I sell one egg at KES 15. I can get KES 300 per day and KES 9,000 per month. I have devoted much of my time to this poultry-keeping project since it's giving me some income. I am so grateful because I can meet all the basic household needs of the family through the sales of eggs. I used part of the money to buy feeds for my cows and pay school fees for my children in school. I have started saving some amount to purchase a dairy cow in the future. I am so grateful for the support because GiveDirectly has enabled me to fulfill my dream. I wish to make this the best and improve even more.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spend KES 28,000 on purchasing w heifer. This was one of our main priorities since we wanted to get enough milk in the future doe the family and sell the surplus to earn some income. Spend KES 4,500 on purchasing 15 hens. I have started a poultry project and this was an addition. Currently, I have 45 hens, I sell the eggs to earn some income to meet the basic needs of the family and feed my cows. I spend KES 4,000 on purchasing chicken feeds and saved 15,000 planning on purchasing two goats. This is one of the best investments since goats reproduce twice per year. This helps in case of emergencies since it can be sold out faster. The rest of the money I spend on food and clothes for my children.
Enrolled
access_time over 2 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
Receiving this money means a better livelihood for my family. We have been planning to have an extra source of income to supplement casual jobs which we currently depend on. What is more costly to us is food, especially milk. We, therefore, plan to use KES 40,000 to purchase a dairy cow with a calf. This goes a long way in reducing our daily expenditure. For the rest of the amount, we will open a bakery business as an alternative source of income.
What is the happiest part of your day?
My husband had a successful operation. He had a growth in the right hand. He is now recovering well and soon he will be working again. This is a joy since the doctor had informed us that it was not going to be an easy task.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The main challenge is insufficient finances. We depend on casual jobs as the main source of income. I receive KES 200 per day which mainly goes to meet basic needs like food. We live near a shopping center, the commodities like food items are relatively expensive as compared to villages, which makes it hard to meet the needs. This hand-to-mouth living cannot allow us to develop on other aspects of life or even afford a better living.
