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 ($468 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 new goal that I have in life is to start a business or a poultry-keeping project. Life has never been easy depending on working for other people and it is my wish to be self-employed one day. I am planning to use the money that I will get after selling some bags of maize after this harvest season to start up this business. With this, I will be able to spend part of my profits on our basic needs while I continue investing more.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did well by deciding to give out financial aid to poor people and giving them the freedom to choose what to spend on. Because of this, we were able to achieve so many things ranging from building iron-roofed houses, buying assets, to feeding well. We would not have achieved all this had they not decided to give us a helping hand.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
Buying maize flour and milk has been our order of the day since I do not have a dairy cow. I have been cultivating two acres of land and due to changes in climatic conditions, pests, and diseases, maize farming in my region has become unprofitable. Because of this, I always spend all the money that I get from working on people's farms on food and I would barely buy for myself a pair of clothes. When I received my transfer, I spent KES 17000 on farming and KES 35000 to buy a dairy cow. With the KES 17000, I was able to lease an acre of land in Transmara a region where maize farming does well, hired a tractor for land preparation and planting purposes, and bought hybrid seeds and fertilizers. I am hopeful that my family will have enough maize to last us till the next harvesting season and I am glad that the cow is almost calving and my family will have enough milk for consumption and sale to earn an income.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($504 USD)
access_time over 2 years ago
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Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
The moment I received the transfer I felt so happy. I remember it was around 10 am when I heard a ringtone message from my phone. I was on my farm spraying my crops. I stopped to check it first. I couldn't believe my eyes, it was a message indicating that I have received money from GiveDirectly. I ran home to inform my family members. We celebrated together. I went to withdrew the money that same day and bought iron sheet for building the house. This was my first priority because we bad small house which could not host all the family comfortably. I am so grateful for the support because GiveDirectly has changed our living standard.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that I have build a better and spacious house for my family. We used to live in a small house which could not host all the family comfortably. I depend on small scale farming and casual jobs in the village. The amount of money that I get through this is so small and cannot meet all the basic needs of the family including paying school fees for my children. I had no other source of income. I had always wished to build another house but I didn't had enough money. Whenever I had many visitors it was so hectic because I have to host them outside. My children could sleep in my neighborhood. This was so risky since they have to walk at night. Currently I have build a better and spacious house. I no longer shy off to welcome visitors to my house. My children can now sleep comfortably without being exposed to cold. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has changed my living standard and given us hope to work hard.
What did you spend your most recent transfer(s) on?
I spent half of the money I received from GiveDirectly on building a spacious and better house. We used to live in a small house which could not host all the family comfortably. I had always wished to build one but I didn't had money. I bought a goat, This is my investment I will sell them when it has reproduce to lay school fees. The rest of the money I bought food and clothes for my children. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has changed our living standard.
Enrolled
access_time almost 3 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
I have been aspiring to have a sustainable source of income. I run a small hotel business in another village which is about 3 kilometers away. We jointly own the hotel with another person. The business is not sustainable because at times we get few customers and thus the profit is low as well. The profit we get in a day is about Ksh 500. Owing to this, my ambition has been to start poultry farming of my own. I intend to spend approximately Ksh 20,000 to start me off and my projection is to sell approximately 50 eggs a day at Ksh 15 each. This will be the cornerstone in attaining a sustainable source of income.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is at night. This is because I spend the entire day working in our small hotel business from early in the morning until late in the evening. Having time to rest at night after a long day at work is the joy of my life. I feel relieved also at night because there is nothing that comes into my mind. After all, there is nothing much to think about.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I have faced in life is financial inadequacy. Initially, before we separated with my wife about 10 years ago, we used to work together as casual laborers in a posh white settler farm which is about 10 kilometers away. When we combined our income, it was enough to cater to a family of 6. After we separated, life became unbearable, and running a business was the last resort because walking for 10 kilometers and later doing household chores was a burden. We have been facing challenges in our business because the profit is low and when I intent to start my own business, I lack capital. Give Directly's timely entry into our village is a sigh of relief because I will start and run a business of my own.
